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

May 21, 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:

David Allen, 28, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty to making materially false statements in connection with the attempted purchase of two semi-automatic firearms from a Northwest Indiana firearms dealer. In April 2009, Allen falsely indicated that he was purchasing two semi-automatic firearms for himself when he was in fact purchasing the firearms for another individual, who was in fact a convicted felon. Law enforcement intercepted Allen before he was able to obtain the firearms. Co-defendant Raimond Henry has also been convicted of straw-purchasing firearms in connection with this case, and he is awaiting sentencing. Wesley Cooke, who has a prior felony conviction for murder, was also convicted of the federal felony offense of possessing a firearm as a felon in connection with this case and has been sentenced to 30 months imprisonment. This case was investigated by the the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration HIDTA Task Force, and the Hammond Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean Lanter.