PRESS RELEASE

FEDERAL GRAND JURY RETURNS FOUR INDICTMENTS

Hammond, IN-The United States Attorney's Office announced that a Special Grand Jury sitting in Hammond, Indiana, returned the following Indictments on October 3, 2007:

QUENTIN LEWIS, age 43, of Sauk Village, Illinois, was charged in a 1 count indictment with knowingly, with the intent to defraud, using an unauthorized credit card, and by such conduct, obtained in excess of $1000. It is alleged that Lewis purchased fraudulent gift cards from a third party which had been falsely programmed with large credit balances. Lewis then took the cards to stores, purchased merchandise, and either kept the merchandise, or returned the merchandise for cash refunds.
This case is being investigated by the United States Secret Service. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bernard Van Wormer.

KEVIN WILKERSON, age 23, currently incarcerated, was charged in a 1 count indictment with bank robbery. It is alleged that in September, 2007, Wilkerson entered a Chase Bank located in Gary, Indiana and passed a note demanding money. The teller complied and Wilkerson exited the bank.

This case is being investigated by the FBI/GRIT, the Highland Police Department and the Merrillville Police Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane L. Berkowitz.

KEVIN ANTHONY DORTCH, age 37, of Lansing, Illinois, was charged in a 1 count indictment with bank robbery. It is alleged that Dortch entered the Jewel Osco Supermarket in Munster, Indiana and passed a note demanding money at the TCF bank branch located inside. The teller complied and Dortch exited the bank.
This case is being investigated by the FBI/GRIT, the Munster Police Department and the Lansing Police Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S. Ratcliffe.

GREGORIO LOPEZ, age 24, and ENRIQUE LOPEZ, age 29, of Hammond, Indiana, were charged in a 4 count indictment with possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana and possession of three firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Enrique Lopez, having been convicted of attempted burglary in 2001, was charged in count 4 with being a felon in possession of a handgun. A forfeiture allegation in the indictment asks that Gregorio Lopez, upon conviction, forfeit a Romarm 39 millimeter, semi automatic rifle, a DPMS, .223 caliber rifle, a Remington .22 caliber rifle, ammunition and $2,704 in cash. Enrique Lopez will forfeit a Remington 12 gauge shotgun and ammunition.

This case is being investigated by the FBI/GRIT Task Force, the ATF/Hidta Task Force, and the Hammond Police Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean R. Lanter.

The specific sentence in each case to be imposed upon conviction 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 these indictments are merely allegations and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

###