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 21, 2012 PHONE: (219) 937-5500

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

WEEK IN REVIEW – SOUTH BEND

South Bend, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced that:

PLEAS:

Ø John Hodowaniac, 60, of South Bend, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher Nuechterlein to the felony offense of arson of a vehicle. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing has been set for 2/15/13. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the South Bend Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.

Ø Jermaine E. Davis, 31, of South Bend, Indiana, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher Nuechterlein to the felony offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing has been set for 2/20/13. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.

Ø Joseph Gibbs, 34, a defendant in the case US v Patlan et al., pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Christopher Nuechterlein to the felony offense of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Magistrate Nuechterlein is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. Sentencing has been set for 2/22/13. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.

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.

DISPOSITIONS:

Ø Adam Robertson, 36, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Robert Miller, Jr. to a total of 168 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana and maintaining a place for the distributing and using of marijuana. According to his plea agreement, Robertson admitted that when law enforcement executed a search warrant at the house identified in the indictment, they found Robertson and two other defendants along with 3 pounds of marijuana, 2 loaded handguns, 2 surveillance cameras, drug packaging and miscellaneous assorted ammunition. Robertson admitted that he had been dealing marijuana from that house. This case was the result of an investigation by the by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the MSOS. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.

Ø Oscar Ruelas-Sandoval, 26, of LaPorte, Indiana, was sentenced by District Judge Jon DeGuilio to 90 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of distribution of cocaine, distribution of marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. This case was the result of an investigation by the by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department and the MSOS. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.

Ø Jason Buzzard, 34, of Plymouth, Indiana, a defendant in the case US v Beard et al., was sentenced by District Judge Jon DeGuilio to 100 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Indiana State Police, the Plymouth Police Department and the MSOS. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.