Week in Review—Hammond

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

Indictments:

• Jeremiah Ellis, 28, and Ashley Patterson, 24, both of East Chicago, Indiana, were charged with the bank robbery of the First Merchants Bank in East Chicago and with the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chicago Police Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
• DeCarlos Frazier, 30, of Chicago, Illinois, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. This charge was filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives HIDTA Task Force. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
• Akeem Dillon, 28, of Chicago, Illinois, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. This charge was filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Chicago Police Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
• William D. Cantrell, 59, of Valparaiso, Indiana, was charged with Internet stalking. This charge was filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Susan Collins.
• Nathan Huey-Dingle, 32, of South Bend, Indiana, was charged in a superseding indictment with additional counts of a Mann Act violation, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and a Travel Act violation. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

Pleas:

• Dajon Rowlett, 31, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of distribution of crack cocaine. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation GRIT Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
• Hudie Scott, 27, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offense of distribution of crack cocaine. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation GRIT Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
• Beaver Bernard Russell, 59, of Benton Harbor, Michigan, pled guilty before Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to the felony offenses of the bank robbery of each of the following banks: Mutual Bank in South Bend, Indiana; Fifth Third Bank in Munster, Indiana; and M&I Bank in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Nozick and Dean Lanter.

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:

• Cedric Payton, 39, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to 37 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Payton has a prior felony conviction for sexual misconduct with a minor and failure to register as a sex offender. This case was a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives HIDTA Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.
• Jeannie Bellar, 55, od Crown Point, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior District Judge Rudy Lozano to one day of imprisonment, with time considered served, and one year of supervised release to include eight months of home detention after pleading guilty to the felony offense of embezzlement from First Financial Bank. Bellar is also to pay a $4,000 fine and she has already paid $17,000 in restitution. This case was a result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall Stewart.