CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS FILED

Hammond, IN—The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that on September 13, 2007 Gregorio Lopez, 24, of Hammond, Indiana, was charged in a criminal complaint with 1) possession with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of cocaine and 2) possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Lopez was arrested by the Hammond Police Department following execution of a search warrant on his residence. During execution of the search warrant, police recovered approximately 1.2 kilograms of cocaine, 27 pounds of marijuana, digital scales, packaging material, two semi-automatic assault rifles, over 75 rounds of ammunition, and $2,700 in cash. This case is a joint investigation being conducted by the FBI’s GRIT Task Force, the ATF/HIDTA Task Force, and the Hammond Police Department.

Also on September 13, 2007, Enrique Lopez, 29, of Hammond, Indiana, was charged in a criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Lopez was arrested by the Hammond Police Department following execution of a search warrant on his residence recovered a shotgun belonging to him. Lopez has a prior felony conviction for attempted burglary. This case is a joint investigation being conducted by the FBI’s GRIT Task Force, the ATF/HIDTA Task Force, and the Hammond Police Department.

This matter is assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean R. Lanter

The specific sentence to be imposed upon conviction in each case will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. 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.

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