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 Hatton

August 16, 2012 PHONE: (219) 937-5603

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

INDICTMENTS RETURNED IN HAMMOND FEDERAL COURT

Hammond, Indiana- The United States Attorney’s Office announced that the following Indictments were returned on August 15, 2012:

Ø Chopper Loughran, 30, of Lake Station, Indiana, was charged in a Superseding Indictment with two counts of making false statements in connection with Federal Workers’ Compensation Benefits; four counts of wire fraud related to retail transactions; seven counts of wire fraud related to electronic benefit transfers; one count of federal program fraud; and one count of making false statements in the application for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance of Needy Family benefits. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General, the US Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General and the US Department of Agriculture-Office of the Inspector General. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Houston.

Ø Jose Gonzalez, 30, of Chicago, Illinois, was charged in an Indictment with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.

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.

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.