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 20, 2012 PHONE: (219) 937-5603

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

EQUITABLE SHARING FUNDS GO TO JASPER COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT AND REMINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT

United States Attorney David Capp, Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dennis Wichern and United States Marshal Myron Sutton, presented equitable sharing checks today to the Jasper County Sheriff in the amount of $2,241,947.88, the Remington Police Department in the amount of $151,482.96, and the Indiana State Police in the amount of $30,296.59.

USA Capp explained that the Department of Justice’s Equitable Sharing Program allows federal law enforcement agencies to forfeit cash and other property, real and personal, that were involved in or the product of illegal activity. Once forfeited, the Equitable Sharing Program allows the United States Attorney’s Office to return up to 80% of the proceeds to local law enforcement who participated in the underlying investigation. Capp noted that over the past 10 years, more than $17M has been returned to state, county and local law enforcement in the Northern District of Indiana under this program.

Today’s equitable sharing checks were the result of a cooperative law enforcement effort by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, the Remington Police Department, the Indiana State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration in Jasper County on October 6, 2011. That evening an individual who appeared to be beaten reported to a security guard that he and an associate had been robbed and their truck trailer stolen by individuals driving a purple semi-tractor. This occurred near the intersection of Interstate 65 and Indiana Highway 24 near Remington, Indiana. The security guard contacted the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department who, in turn, asked the Remington Police Department to investigate.

Remington PD immediately responded and identified a similarly described tractor-trailer entering northbound I-65. An attempt to stop that vehicle was made which was unsuccessful and the tractor-trailer pulled onto I-65. Remington PD requested assistance from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department and the vehicle was ultimately stopped after travelling approximately 15 miles near mile marker 215.

Three individuals were apprehended: Clarence Magee, Jr., Tavair McCain and Alfonzo Spraggins. These individuals were charged in Jasper County with robbery and other offenses.

The Indiana State Police was notified and their crime technicians helped to process the scene where the alleged robbery occurred. These charges are pending and the United States Attorney’s Office and law enforcement will not discuss those pending charges.

Once the vehicle was stopped, law enforcement observed a number of bags and plastic boxes containing what appeared to be United States currency. Jasper County contacted the Drug Enforcement Administration. The DEA responded immediately and utilized one of their trained drug detection dogs which alerted to the scent of narcotics. The currency, totaling $3,029,740, was seized as drug proceeds. The DEA utilized its statutory authority and initiated administrative forfeiture proceedings against the currency.

USA Capp thanked all the involved agencies for their excellent work and emphasized the importance of local-state-federal cooperative law enforcement efforts. “Because of this cooperation,” Capp stated, “we are able to give to local and state law enforcement over $2.4 million dollars.” Capp explained that this money must be used for law enforcement purposes and must be used to supplement or increase the resources of the receiving law enforcement agency.