Week In Review - Hammond

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

DISPOSITIONS

• Timothy Yatsko, 42, of Portage, Indiana was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment with 2 years supervised release after pleading guilty to felony possession of a firearm.  According to documents filed in this case, on March 14, 2013, Yatsko was found in possession of nine firearms and an assortment of ammunition after previously being convicted of a felony in the Superior Court of Lake County.  This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Portage Police Department, Lake Station Police Department, and Porter County Sheriff’s Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath. 

• Armando Ortega, 36, of Hammond, Indiana was sentenced to 5 months on home detention with 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine.  According to documents filed in this case, on February 25, 2012, law enforcement officers responded to a domestic call at the defendant’s residence and smelled a strong smell of marijuana.  On April 6, 2012, a Hammond detective decided to do a “knock and talk” at same residence, when he approached it he smelled a strong odor of marijuana.  He left the residence without contact.  Three days later, Hammond Police officers did a trash pull, and recovered the remains of marijuana blunts and stems. On April 13, 2012, Hammond Police executed a search warrant on the residence.  They recovered around 240 grams of cocaine and redistribution amounts of marijuana.  This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Nozick.