South Bend, Indiana - The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in Federal Court:
PLEAS
* Ronnie Seward, 25, of South Bend, Indiana pled guilty to the felony offense of knowingly or intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing cocaine base over 28 grams. 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 Drug Enforcement Administration. Sentencing has been set for March 12, 2015. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
* Justin Bowles, 25, of South Bend, Indiana pled guilty to the felony offense of knowingly or intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing cocaine base over 28 grams. 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 Drug Enforcement Administration. Sentencing has been set for March 20, 2015. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
* Michael Smith, 60, of Mishawaka, Indiana pled guilty to the felony offenses of tax evasion and structuring financial transactions. 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-CID. Sentencing has been set for March 20, 2015. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jesse M. Barrett.
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
* Marcus Northern, Sr., 54, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced to 2 years probation and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine after pleading guilty to the felony offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to documents filed in this case, on July 23, 2013, Northern possessed a Glock handgun. In 1995, Northern was convicted in federal court of Interstate Travel to Aid a Business Enterprise and was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment for that conviction. 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 William T. Grimmer.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
