Week in Review—Fort Wayne

FORT WAYNE, IN—The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in federal court:

Plea (before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey):

• Michael Bure, 27, of Fort Wayne, Indiana pled guilty to the felony offense of bank robbery. The magistrate is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 14 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by a joint task force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, state, and local law enforcement. Sentencing has not been set. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.

If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Dispositions (before District Judge Theresa L. Springmann):

• Jerome Burney, 40, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and to pay $461,254.72 restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of wire fraud. According to documents filed in this case, Burney faxed fraudulent military deployment orders to companies that were employing him at the time. The fraudulent military paperwork was used to take advantage of the military pay differential policy. The policy provides employees who are members of any branch of the United States military or who are called up to active duty in the uniformed services as a result of an active military conflict or mission to be paid the difference between their military pay and their base rate of pay at that particular company. Because these fraudulent payments to Burney were electronically deposited into his personal bank account or made by check was sent via United States mail, his actions violated federal law. This case was the result of an investigation by the Department of Defense-Office of the Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
• Curtis Wittwer, 66, of Spencerville, Indiana, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment (with the remainder as of the day of sentencing’s date to be served in a residential re-entry facility), with two years’ supervised release, after pleading guilty to the felony offense of maintaining a drug-involved premises. According to documents filed in this case, a confidential informant notified law enforcement of Curtis Wittwer’s selling and growing of marijuana at his residence. After additional investigations, Wittwer’s residence was searched. During the search, 16 guns, marijuana smoking devices, rolling papers, marijuana residue, and a bag with marijuana seeds were discovered. In addition, $88,600 in cash was obtained during the search. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
• Jamison Gudorf, 41, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment with two years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to documents filed in this case, in 2011 and 2012, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force was investigating marijuana trafficking activity and became interested in Jamison Gudorf’s activities, which involved illegal drug sales. In December 2012, officers served a federal search warrant of Gudorf’s residence. During the search, officers found a large number of firearms, including several weapons that were suspected of being fully automatic. Marijuana was also discovered during the search. In 1996, Gudorf was convicted of criminal confinement and residential entry. He was also convicted in 2007 for OWI and intimidation. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
• Nicole Andrews, 36, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced to two years’ probation and to pay restitution in the amount of $16,405.39, joint and several with co-defendants, after pleading guilty to the felony offense of being an accessory after the fact to a bank robbery. According to documents filed in this case, in April 2013, a local credit union was robbed by two assailants. Local law enforcement investigations determined that Andrews was involved in the robbery’s planning and execution. Andrews also attempted to misdirect law enforcement during questioning. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.
• Lizbeth Correa, 35 of Wawaka, Indiana, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to the felony offense of knowingly making a drug-involved premise available for use. According to documents filed in this case, in March 2013, Correa worked with others to conceal methamphetamine by hiding it inside a fake cake. Correa was employed at a restaurant that she helped use to facilitate illegal drug sales. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.