United States Attorney David Capp

Northern District of Indiana

M01-204 S. Main Street

South Bend, Indiana 46601

Hammond South Bend Fort Wayne

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Mary L. Hatton

November 1, 2012 PHONE: (219) 937-5500

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

FEDERAL GRAND JURY IN SOUTH BEND RETURNS INDICTMENT

South Bend, IN—The United States Attorney's Office announced that a Grand Jury sitting in South Bend, Indiana, returned the following Indictment on October 11, 2012:

Leon Thomas a/k/a D. Thomas, 38, of Chesterton, Indiana, was charged in a three-count Indictment with one count of identity theft; one count of theft of government property; namely stealing federal funds through the extended unemployment benefit program and American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

The arraignment and detention hearing for Thomas are scheduled for tomorrow, November 2 at 2 PM before Magistrate Judge Roger Cosbey.

These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the United States Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Z. Brook.

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. .

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.