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, Suite 1500

                  Hammond, Indiana 46320

                  219/937-5500

Contact Person: Christine H. Balzer

                 Public Affairs Specialist

PRESS RELEASE

DEFENDANT SENTENCED JOEL MARKOVICH was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Rudy Lozano to 18 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, fined $6,000 and ordered to pay $755,088.74 restitution.

          MARKOVICH, age 43, of East Chicago, Indiana, pled guilty to the information filed against him in August 2004. He was charged with theft involving federal funds and money laundering.

          The case was investigated by the Operation Restore Public Integrity Task Force including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Bell. 

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