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, IN 46802-3489

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         CONTACT: Mary L. Hatton

April 28, 2011                                                                                 PHONE: (219) 937-5603

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

FEDERAL GRAND JURY IN FORT WAYNE RETURNS INDICTMENTS

Fort Wayne, IN—The United States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, returned the following Indictments on April 27 and April 28, 2011:

Jonathan Aramburo, 23, of Warsaw, Indiana, is charged in a six count Superseding Indictment with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance from on or about January 2010, up to and including on or about February 2011, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about February 27, 2011, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime on or about February 27, 2011 and December 13, 2010. Ryan M. Lasuer, 20, of Winona Lake, Indiana, is charged in two counts of the six count Superseding Indictment with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance from on or about January 2010, up to and including on or about February 2011. Christine Hagan, 30, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Whitney Sparkman, 20, of Mentone, Indiana; and Natalie Catalan, 21, of Fort Wayne, Indiana were all charged in Count 1 of the Superseding Indictment with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance from on or about January 2010, up to and including on or about February 2011. The Superseding Indictment also seeks for the forfeiture of firearms and ammunition. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kosciusko County Drug Task Force, and the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Trgovich.

Ormey Douglas, 36, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a seven count Indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance from on or about February 2011, to on or about April 5, 2011, and use of a communications facility on or about March 7, 2011, March 17, 2011, March 19, 2011, March 28, 2011, April 1, 2011, and April 5, 2011. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Trgovich.

Ben B. Fisher, 34, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in an eight count Indictment with use of a communications facility on or about February 6, 2011, February 24, 2011, February 25, 2011, February 26, 2011, February 27, 2011, March 2, 2011, and March 3, 2011, in addition, the defendant is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Indictment also seeks for the forfeiture of a firearm. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.

Charley J. Gonzalez, IV, 22, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a five count Indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance from on or about March 2011, to on or about April 12, 2011, use of a communications facility on or about March 7, 2011, and March 10, 2011, possession of a firearm by an unlawful user on or about April 12, 2011, and possession of a controlled substance on or about April, 12, 2011. The Indictment also seeks for the forfeiture of firearms, ammunition and U.S. currency. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Trgovich.

Cedrick L. Griffin, 30, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a five count Indictment with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances from on or about October 8, 2010, to on or about January 6, 2011, and use of a communications facility on or about October 8, 2010, December 27, 2010, December 28, 2010, and January 6, 2011. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris King.

Scott A. Hedges, 33, of Huntertown, Indiana, is charged in a single count Indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about April 12, 2011. The Indictment also seeks for the forfeiture of a firearm. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris King.

Robert D. Littlejohn, 23, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a ten count Indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances from on or about November 13, 2010, to on or about December 25, 2010, and use of a communications facility on or about November 13, 2010, November 14, 2010, November 18, 2010, November 19, 2010, November 20, 2010, November 21, 2010, November 24, 2010, November 28, 2010, and December 3, 2010. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

Trent D. Moore, 41, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a four count Indictment with distribution of controlled substances on or about February 10, 2010, February 25, 2010, April 7, 2010, and June 17, 2010. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.

Christopher M. Salas, 37, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a four count Indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm by an unlawful user, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance all occurring on or about April, 12, 2011. The Indictment also seeks for the forfeiture of firearms, ammunition and U.S. currency. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris King.

Booker T. Sewell, 31, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a two count Indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about April 13, 2011, and maintaining a drug involved premises from on or about February 14, 2011, through on or about April 13, 2011. The Indictment also seeks for the forfeiture of U.S. currency, a firearm and ammunition. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.

Albert J. Smith, 39, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a three count Indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance from on or about September 2010, to on or about December 15, 2010, and use of a communications facility on or about October 12, 2010 and November 12, 2010. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Trgovich.

Joshua Stephens, 34, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a single count Indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about April 12, 2011. The Indictment also seeks for the forfeiture of firearms and ammunition. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.

Edgar White, 34, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a four count Indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance from on or about October 8, 2010, to on or about January 25, 2011, and use of a communications facility on or about October 8, 2010, October 15, 2010, and November 8, 2010. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Trgovich.

Miguel A. Zavala, 38, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged in a four count Indictment with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances from on or about March 28, 2011 to on or about March 31, 2011, use of a communications facility on or about March 29, 2011, and March 30, 2011, and for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm on or about April 12, 2011. The Indictment also seeks for the forfeiture of a firearm. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.

These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Fort Wayne Safe Streets Task Force (FWSSTF), which is comprised of FBI special agents and officers from the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Police Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department. A number of law enforcement agencies also assisted with this investigation, including the Fort Wayne Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division and Gang Unit; the Allen County Drug Task Force; the United States Marshals Service; the New Haven Police Department; the Orange County, California, Regional Narcotics Suppression Program; the San Bernardino County, California, Sheriff’s Department; and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department Drug Interdiction Unit.

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.

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.

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