United States Attorney David Capp

Northern District of Indiana

E. Ross Adair Federal Building & United States Courthouse

1300 South Harrison Street, Room 3128

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Hammond South Bend Fort Wayne

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Mary Hatton

January 25, 2013 PHONE: (219) 937-5603

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

WEEK IN REVIEW – FORT WAYNE

Fort Wayne, Indiana- The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity:

PLEA:

Ø Russell Cowherd, 33, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger Cosbey to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris King.

Ø Danny Villarreal, 28, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger Cosbey to the felony offense of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General and the Allen County Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.

Ø Baldemar Robles, 36, of Warsaw, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger Cosbey to the felony offenses of maintaining a place for the purpose of distributing cocaine and marijuana, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force and the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Geller.

Ø Michael Banks, 22, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Roger Cosbey to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Magistrate Cosbey is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris King.

If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

DISPOSITIONS:

Ø Terrance Martin, 30, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Theresa Springmann to 57 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Martin has a prior felony conviction for resisting law enforcement. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tina Nommay.