Week In Review – Fort Wayne

               Fort Wayne, Indiana — The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:

PLEAS

• Roland Beemer, 43, of Fort Wayne, Indiana pled guilty to the felony offense of possession with intent to distribute lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). The magistrate is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.  Parties have 14 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, Allen County Drug Task Force and the Allen County Sheriff’s Department.  Sentencing has not been set.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tina L. Nommay and Nathaniel C. Henson.

• Prentice A. Bland, 39, of Indianapolis, Indiana pled guilty to the felony offenses of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The magistrate is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.  Parties have 14 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. These charges were filed as a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Warsaw Police Department, Fort Wayne Police Department, and the IMAGE Drug Task Force.  Sentencing has not been set.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.

• Jared Hochstedler, 39, of Fort Wayne, Indiana pled guilty to the felony offenses of filing a false income tax return and perjury. The magistrate is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.  Parties have 14 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.  Sentencing has not been set.  This case is being prosecuted by Department of Justice, Tax Division Trial Attorneys Christopher O’Donnell and Richard M. Rowling.

• Jacob Miller, 51, of Kendallville, Indiana pled guilty to the felony offense of selling a firearm to a convicted felon. The magistrate is recommending that the district court accept the tendered guilty plea.  Parties have 14 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Image Drug Task Force and Warsaw Police Department.  Sentencing has not been set.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

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

• Christopher Seals, 24, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced to 272 months imprisonment with 2 years supervised release and ordered to $96,534.37 in restitution after being found guilty to the felony offenses of armed bank robbery, use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and felon in possession of a firearm.  According to documents filed in this case, on or about February 14, 2013, Seals did by use of a dangerous weapon rob the PNC Bank.  This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Northeast Indiana Federal Bank Robbery Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.

• Matthew Vanschoick, 29, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced to 92 months imprisonment with 1 year supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of bank robbery.  According to documents filed in this case, on or about October 28, 2011, Vanschoick did rob the PNC Bank by force, violence, and intimidation  This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI Federal Bank Robbery Task Force, and the New Haven Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.

• Derek Whetsel, 43, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced to 1 year probation after pleading guilty to the felony offense of selling a firearm to a convicted felon.  According to documents filed in this case, on or about May 27, 2014, Whetsel did knowingly sell a firearm to a known convicted felon.  This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lovita Morris King.

• Korean Daniels, 38, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment with 1 year supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  According to documents filed in this case, on or about June 14, 2014, Daniels, having been previously convicted, did knowingly possess a firearm and ammunition.  This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.