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

March 18, 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:

Angel Reyes-Palacios, 26, was charged by an indictment returned today with re-entry of a deported alien with a prior felony conviction. Reyes-Palacio has a prior federal felony conviction for conspiracy to commit alien smuggling in the Northern District of Illinois, after which he was deported from the United States. On March 4, 2010, Reyes-Palacios is alleged to have fled from police following a traffic stop on Interstate 94 near Chesterton, Indiana, after which Reyes-Palacios was found hiding in a pond approximately five hours later. Reyes-Palacios has been detained pending trial. This case is being investigated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the assistance of the Lake and Porter County Sheriff’s Departments, the Indiana State Police, and the Chesterton, Burns Harbor, and Porter Police Departments. This case us being was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.

Gerardo Bocanegra-Salas, a/k/a Oscar Garza, 39, was charged by an indictment returned today with re-entry of a deported alien with a prior felony conviction. Bocanegra-Salas has a prior felony conviction for conspiracy to manufacture/deliver drugs, after which he was deported from the United States. On March 2, 2010, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department performed a traffic stop on Bocanegra-Salas, after which approximately 26 pounds of marijuana was recovered from his vehicle. Bocanegra-Salas is currently detained in state court on the marijuana charges, after completion of which he will be brought to federal court to face the felony immigration charges. This case is being investigated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement with the assistance of the Lake County and Porter County Sheriff’s Departments. This case us being was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.

   Joseph Campbell, 35, of Elkhart, Indiana, was charged by an indictment returned today, with 8 counts of bank robbery, to wit: National City Bank in LaPorte, Indiana in July, 2009; First Source Bank in Plymouth, Indiana and First Source Bank in Valparaiso, Indiana in December 2009; Chase Bank in Chesterton, Indiana, First Source Bank in Hebron, Indiana, and Fifth Third Bank in Rensselaer, Indiana in January, 2010; Lake City Bank in Warsaw, Indiana, and Centier Bank in Valparaiso, Indiana in March, 2010. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Valparaiso Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.

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.