U.S. Department of Justice

                                                                                    United States Attorney

                                                                                    Northern District of Indiana

                                                                                                                              5400 Federal Plaza, Suite 1500                                                (219) 937- 5500

                                                                                                                              Hammond, Indiana 46320                                          FAX: (219) 852- 2770

TTD: (219) 933- 1250

                                                                                                     April 19, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Released By: Joseph S. Van Bokkelen

                  United States Attorney

                  Northern District of Indiana

                  5400 Federal Plaza

                 Hammond, Indiana 46320

Contact Person: Sharon J. Johnson

                  Assistant United States Attorney

                                       219/937-5500

                                                            PRESS RELEASE

DEFENDANT CONVICTED

    A federal jury in Fort Wayne, Indiana yesterday convicted JIMMIE MALLETT of maintaining a place to distribute cocaine base and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack) in Gary, Indiana, in December 2001. The trial began January 13, 2004, and the jury returned the guilty verdicts at 7:55 p.m. last night.

    U.S. District Judge Theresa L. Springmann has scheduled sentencing for April 20, 2004, in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

    MALLETT, age 40, of Gary, Indiana, was convicted of knowingly and intentionally maintaining a place at 571 Madison Street, Gary, Indiana, for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing and using a controlled substance, cocaine base, commonly known as crack cocaine, a Schedule II narcotic controlled substance, from on or about December 5, 2001, and continuing to on or about December 20, 2001, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 856(a)(1). MALLETT was also convicted of possession with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing cocaine base (crack) in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1).

    The indictment was returned in May 2002. MALLETT has been in custody since April 2002. Co-defendant LAMAR BOLER pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

    This case was investigated by the Gary Response Investigative Team (GRIT) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sharon J. Johnson.

- END -