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 4, 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:

Benjamin Isom, 52, of Burnettsville, Indiana, was sentenced on 4/28/10 before Chief Judge Philip Simon to 60 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to receiving visual depictions, specifically, computer photographic images, that had been mailed, shipped and transported in interstate commerce, such visual depictions being of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct from March, 2005 to March 2006. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip C. Benson.

Maurice Burge, 31, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced on 4/30/10 by Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 37 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of five (5) grams or more of cocaine base, commonly known as crack cocaine. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation/Grit Task Force, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline L. Jacobs.

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.