Week In Review – South Bend

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

PLEA

• Jeffrey Miller, 45 of Osceola, Indiana pled guilty to the felony offenses of interstate transportation of stolen goods and money laundering. The magistrate judge 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 been set for 11/25/2014.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald Schmid.

 
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

• Ricardo Perez-Arrellano, 45, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to the felony offense of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  According to documents filed in this case, Perez-Arrellano was convicted of a 2012 misdemeanor battery.  In March 2014, Perez-Arrellano was a regular illegal user of controlled substances and knowingly possessed a loaded Mossberg, model 600AT, 12 gauge pump shotgun, and a loaded Jimenez, model JA Nine, 9mm. 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 Donald Schmid.

• Kevin Becerril, 19, of Mishawaka, Indiana was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with 2 years 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, Becerril possessed a Colt Trooper revolver while in the Northern District of Indiana.  He had been convicted of felony possession of marijuana in St. Joseph County in 2013 and sentenced to 18 months probation.  Becerrill knew that he was not to possess a firearm due to this conviction and did not dispute that the gun had traveled through interstate or foreign commerce.  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 Frank Schaffer.

• Israel Garcia, 33, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced to 92 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release and a $100 special assessment after pleading guilty to the felony offense of knowingly or intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing cocaine.  According to documents filed in this case, on April 9, 2013, Garcia possessed a package containing cocaine in his car when he fled from police.  It was Garcia’s intent to sell this cocaine while in St. Joseph County, Indiana.  This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.

• Quintin T.  Ferguson, 25, of Mishawaka, Indiana was sentenced to 91 months imprisonment with 3 years supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of possessing heroin with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  According to documents filed in this case, a search warrant was issued on September 26, 2013 as a result of heroin dealing by Ferguson.  Prior to the execution of the warrant, Ferguson and two males were observed leaving the residence in a vehicle which was later stopped by South Bend police officers.  Ferguson was driving the vehicle and. after his apprehension, three (3) bags of suspect heroin were found inside the vehicle.  Two small plastic bags were located in the driver’s door change pocket holder and one small plastic bag of heroin was located under the driver’s seat.  Ferguson also possessed $1,071in currency and a digital scale when he was apprehended.  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 Donald J. Schmid.