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 13, 2011                                                                                      PHONE: (219) 937-5500

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

WEEK IN REVIEW - HAMMOND

Hammond, Indiana—The United States Attorney's Office announced the following:

Rosetta Buchanan, 36, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 41 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to counts one through four of an indictment charging her with fraud with identification documents. This case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Susan Collins.

Francesca Foster, 33, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 41 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to counts one through four of an indictment charging her with fraud with identification documents. This case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Susan Collins.

Ryan Ross, 23, of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty before Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to counts one and two of an indictment charging him with stealing a firearm from a licensed dealer, and use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. Sentencing has been set for 7/26/11. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Gary Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.

Jamelle McBride, 23, of Calumet City, Illinois, was sentenced by Senior Judge James Moody to 36 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to counts one and three of a superseding indictment charging him with fraud with identification documents and bank fraud. McBride was ordered to pay $10,626.28 in restitution to the victims. This case was the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip Benson.

John Sellers III, 20, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to count one of an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sellers was previously convicted of dealing in a sawed-off shotgun in 2009, and possession of cocaine in 2010. Sentencing has been set for 7/25/11. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives HIDTA Task Force, and the Lake County Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.

Darrel Newman, 30, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by Senior Judge James Moody to 33 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to count one of an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Padilla.

Kenyatta Hope, 36, of Gary, Indiana, pled guilty before Senior Judge James Moody to count one of an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.

David Johnson, 27, of East Chicago, Indiana, pled guilty before Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to counts four, five, seven and ten of a second superseding indictment charging him with distribution of crack cocaine in the case US v Webb et al. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the East Chicago Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.

            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.