United States Attorney David Capp

Northern District of Indiana

5400 Federal Plaza, Suite 1500

Hammond, Indiana 46320

Hammond                                                 South Bend                                               Fort Wayne

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         CONTACT: Mary L. Hatton

April 26, 2010                                                                                     PHONE: (219) 937-5500

www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/                                                                    Fax: (219) 852-2770 

ACTIVITY IN FEDERAL COURT - HAMMOND

Hammond, Indiana—The United States Attorney's Office announced the following activity in federal court:

Jose Leyva, 34, of Chicago, Illinois, was charged by indictment returned on 4/23/10 with possession with intent to distribute one hundred (100) kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration/HIDTA Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga

Deondre Alexander, 20, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced on 4/21/10 by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 15 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives and the Gary Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.

Lane Barendsen, 24, of Valparaiso, Indiana, was sentenced on 4/21/10 by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 70 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.

Shaton Smith, 27, of Gary, Indiana, plead guilty on 4/22/10 before Senior Judge James Moody to being a felon in possession of a firearm, to wit; a Browning .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Smith was previously convicted of possession of a controlled substance. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives/HIDTA Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas Padilla.

Brandi May, 37, of Kouts, Indiana, plead guilty on 4/22/10 before Senior Judge James Moody to possession of pseudoephedrine, a listed chemical, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that the listed chemical will be used to manufacture methamphetamine This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Merrillville office, the Porter County Sheriff’s Office, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, the Valparaiso Police Department, the Kouts Police Department, and the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick, Jennifer Chang-Adiga, and Joshua P. Kolar .

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.

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