INDIANAPOLIS –Patrick Owens, 33, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to 115 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on April 12, 2019, an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officer initiated a traffic stop on Patrick Owens as he was heading northbound on Binford Boulevard in Indianapolis. When asked for a driver’s license, Owens told the officer that he did not have one. The officer asked Owens if there were any weapons in the vehicle and Owens indicated that there were none. Owens then flipped open the center armrest, exposing the bottom of an extended handgun magazine. The officer commanded Owens to remove his hands from the steering wheel, and in response Owens started the car and sped away.

Owns led officers on a high-speed pursuit on I-65 and I-465, where he fishtailed across three lanes and struck an Infinity SUV. Owens continued his flight after the collision, reaching speeds of over 86 miles per hour. He exited I-465 at Keystone Avenue and proceeded onto a construction-filled 96th street. Owens swerved to go through the construction site, but lost control of the vehicle and hit a power pole. Owens then jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot, initially holding the extended handgun magazine from his vehicle before tossing it on the ground as he ran.

IMPD officers caught up with Owens and took him into custody and recovered the extended magazine, which was loaded with 25 live rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. Officers located a loaded semiautomatic handgun in Owens’ car, as well as marijuana, $21,300 in cash, and two additional loaded .40 caliber magazines. Owens is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law due to his previous felony convictions, including resisting law enforcement, carrying a handgun without a license, and burglary.

Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division made the announcement.

ATF investigated this case with valuable assistance from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The sentenced was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker. As part of the sentence, Judge Barker ordered that Owens be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison. Owens was also ordered to pay $6,778 in restitution to the owner of the Infinity SUV and the insurance company.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry D. Glickman, who prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

EVANSVILLE- A federal grand jury indicted Michele Rose, 61, of Jasper, Indiana, on twelve counts of wire fraud and twelve counts of forging checks related to an alleged near-decade-long scheme to embezzle over $150,000 from a nonprofit healthcare organization headquartered in Jasper. The indictment was unsealed on February 28, 2023, following Rose’s arrest and initial appearance.

According to court documents, Rose served as the Medical Staff Coordinator for a nonprofit for many years. During her employment, Rose would occasionally make business-related purchases with her personal funds, for which she would be reimbursed by the business upon proof of receipt. From March 2011 to December 2020, Rose allegedly used her position to embezzle $153,769.00 by writing 165 fraudulent checks to herself for reimbursement of purchases that she never made. Rose made numerous false representations to organization leadership to obtain signed, blank checks to reimburse herself for nonexistent expenses. Once the blank checks were signed, Rose wrote them to herself for various amounts and deposed the funds into her personal account. Rose then fraudulently concealed the fake reimbursements by omitting them from financial reports to organization leadership.

If convicted, Rose faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine the actual sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Jeffrey R. Adams, Special Agent in Charge of the USSS Indianapolis Field Office, and Nathan Schmitt, Chief of Police for the Jasper Police Department made the announcement.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who is prosecuting this case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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EVANSVILLE – Kent Dam, 55, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to time served in federal court after pleading guilty to transporting and harboring undocumented workers and money laundering. Gracie’s Chinese Cuisine, which is operated by Dam and his wife, also pleaded guilty to unlawful employment of undocumented workers, and received two years’ probation and a $15,000 fine.

According to court documents, in June 2020, Homeland Security Investigations began an investigation into Dam and the operations at Gracie’s Chinese Cuisine as part of an ongoing multistate investigation into the smuggling, transporting, harboring and employment of undocumented workers. Agents were told that a human smuggler was facilitating the exploitation of undocumented laborers by delivering them to businesses. On multiple occasions, the smuggler drove the undocumented workers from another state to Gracie Chinese Cuisine’s and to two residences owned by Dam on West Wortman Road in Evansville. Dam and his wife personally paid the smuggler for delivering workers to the West Wortman Road residences.

During the investigation, surveillance of the restaurant and Dam’s two residences showed that Dam regularly drove from his primary residence to the West Wortman Road residences and picked up four to six people, then drove to Gracie Chinese Cuisine’s. At the restaurant, Dam and the workers exited the vehicle and entered through the back door. At the end of the day, Dam drove the workers from Gracie’s back to the residences on Wortman Road, before returning to his primary residence.

On October 21, 2020, the vehicle Dam was driving was stopped by officers for a traffic violation. Dam was driving with five passengers at the time. None of the passengers were lawfully present in the United States. One of the passengers was a citizen of El Salvador who had been previously deported, one passenger was a citizen of Indonesia who had entered on a visa, but the visa had been revoked, two of the passengers were citizens of Guatemala who had unlawfully entered the United States without inspection, and the final passenger was a citizen of Mexico who had unlawfully entered the United States without inspection.

All the passengers said they worked in the kitchen at Gracie’s and lived at the Wortman Road residence. Two individuals said that they had been working at the restaurant for 3 months, one said he had been there for 7.5 years, and the others fell somewhere in between. Some claimed that they paid Dam rent to live at the Wortman residence, others said they lived there for free. The workers stated that they were paid by Dam monthly, either by check or with an envelope of cash. One individual said that he was paid $800 per month, another said that he was paid $2,500 per month, and the others fell somewhere in between.

Additionally, the workers said that Dam did not ask them to complete the standard employment forms regarding citizenship and taxes. Some claimed that they did not even have to show Dam identification to get a job. Two of the workers stated that they were brought to Dam’s restaurant by a smuggler.

The worker who had been previously deported was detained and charged federally with unlawful re-entry into the United States. The others were released. Shortly after the traffic stop, Dam contacted a human smuggler and stated that he needed a worker.

“The defendant paid for smuggled, undocumented workers to exploit in furtherance of his own greed,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This prosecution and sentence demonstrate that the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to ensure that those who unlawfully exploit trafficked persons are held accountable.”

“This individual exploited undocumented workers to enrich himself,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell of IRS-CI’s Chicago Field Office. “Today’s sentencing is a critical reminder that there are consequences for human trafficking and money laundering.”

Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated the case in conjunction with IRS Criminal Investigation. The Indiana State Police provided invaluable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that Dam pay a $35,000 fine and that he forfeit to the United States his 2017 Toyota Tundra truck, which he used to transport the undocumented workers.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller who prosecuted this case.

INDIANAPOLIS— Rebecca Fields, 70, of Kokomo, has been sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to making a false statement to illegally receive Social Security benefits. Fields has also been ordered to pay $231,203.10 in restitution.According to court documents, beginning around July 1985, Rebecca Fields’ husband, “L.F.” began receiving Social Security retirement benefits. On December 4, 2002, Rebecca requested to be added as L.F.’s representative payee, which the Social Security Administration (SSA) ultimately approved.When a qualified retirement beneficiary lacks the capacity to manage his or her own benefits, the SSA may approve a “representative payee” to receive the beneficiary’s benefits and to use them for the beneficiary. In such an instance, the SSA requires the representative payee to annually certify a continuing relationship with the beneficiary and how the representative used the beneficiary’s program benefits on his or her behalf.On April 10, 2006, L.F. died. Nonetheless, not only did Fields fail to report that fact to the SSA, but she also completed at least 13 Representative Payee Reports between 2007 and 2022 on which she falsely claimed that L.F continued to live with her. These reports also contained false claims that she had spent his retirement benefits on his behalf to maintain his health and well-being. The lies were aimed at deceiving the SSA into continuing to pay her money that she was not owed. As a result, Rebecca Fields received approximately $231,203.10 in L.F.’s social security benefits- of which she was not entitled after he passed away.“For over a decade, Fields brazenly stole not only from the United States government, but also indirectly from taxpayers who diligently pay into the Social Security retirement fund. Fields’ conduct also indirectly preyed on the vulnerable, elderly beneficiaries who ultimately depend on the program’s payments upon their retirement from the workforce,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence should serve as a stark warning to potential fraudsters who may believe they can cheat the system- you will pay the price.”The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Corbin D. Houston, who prosecuted this case.###

INDIANAPOLIS – Maria Caceres, 56, of Coral Springs, Florida and formerly of Hamilton County, Indiana, was sentenced late yesterday to 30 months in federal prison following her conviction of wire fraud, to which she had previously plead guilty.

According to court records, Caceres was employed by Seven Corners, a travel insurance business located in Carmel. Between May 2011 and September 2016, Caceres prepared and submitted thirty fraudulent insurance claims to Seven Corners totaling more than $650.000. As part of the scheme, Caceres and her accomplices created fictitious names under which they purchased insurance policies from the victim company. Caceres and her accomplices created false email addresses in the name of a hospital in Venezuela and submitted claims to the victim company for purported emergency medical services provided to the fictitious individuals during international travel. In fact, none of these expenses were ever incurred and Caceres had created artificial customer accounts and false documents in support of the claims. As a result of the fraud, the victim company paid over $588,000 to accounts controlled by Caceres’ accomplices.  

Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that the defendant be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for one year following her release from prison. Caceres was also ordered to pay over $496,000.00 in restitution.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James M. Warden and Bradly P. Shepard who prosecuted this case.

INDIANAPOLIS— Christina Moles, a/k/a Tina Lashley, 50, of Redkey, Indiana has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aiding and assisting the making of a false federal income tax return. Moles has also been ordered to pay $567,010 in restitution.According to court documents, between 2015 and 2021, Christina Moles executed a tax fraud scheme in which she falsified 382 federal income tax returns for numerous clients without their knowledge. During this time, Moles was a tax return preparer and frequently attracted customers by advertising that her business would guarantee large refunds. Many of Moles’ customers received between $5,000-$10,000 in refunds despite having modest incomes.To increase the amount of refunds her clients would receive, Moles falsely stated that her clients qualified for the American Opportunity Tax Credit (“AOTC”). The AOTC is a credit for qualified education expenses paid for an eligible student for the first four years of higher education. Taxpayers can get a maximum annual credit of $2,500 per eligible student. To be eligible to claim the AOTC, a taxpayer (or a dependent) must have received a Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, from an eligible educational institution.For these false tax returns, Moles claimed that her clients incurred educational expenses to either Ivy Tech or Penn Foster online college. In reality, none of these clients had any education expenses and did not attend Ivy Tech or Penn Foster. In addition, neither institution provided a Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, which Moles would have needed to claim qualified educational expenses for her clients.The defendant’s clients received tax credits to which they were not entitled, and therefore the IRS provided them with larger tax refunds than they should have.As a result of this scheme, Moles’ clients received tax credits to which they were not entitled, causing a loss to the Internal Revenue Service of approximately $567,010.“Due to the defendant’s deceit, the United States lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in unjustified refunds. Even more troubling, her unsuspecting customers faced the threat of audits and the repayment of thousands of dollars they wrongly received, all because they trusted her business practices,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Filing or preparing false tax returns is a serious offense that deprives the government of vital revenue for public services, and today’s sentence serves as a strong warning to anyone considering engaging in such fraudulent activity.”“Christina Moles exploited a tax credit designed to ease the burden of higher education—twisting it into a tool for fraud,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Her deceit didn’t just cheat the system; it undermined a benefit intended to help families invest in their futures. When trust is traded for profit, everyone pays the price.”“As postal inspectors, it is our mission to investigate criminal matters involving the integrity and security of the U.S. Postal Service. Our partnership with IRS-CI is one of many ways we are able to do that,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Sean McStravick. “I am proud of the work in this case by both agencies, which led to the successful prosecution of an individual who violated the law, and her clients’ trust, hundreds of times, and cost taxpayers over half a million dollars in misallocated funds.”IRS-CI and USPIS investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who prosecuted this case.###

INDIANAPOLIS- Jacob Magness, 23, of Bloomington, Indiana, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for possession and distribution of fentanyl and other controlled substances

.

According to court documents, on November 1, 2021, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service was alerted to a suspicious package with a nonexistent return address coming from California. The package was addressed to Jacob Magness’s Bloomington residence. On November 2, 2021, Indiana State Police examined the package and found it to contain approximately 211 grams of fentanyl pills, 110 grams of counterfeit Xanax pills, and 4 grams of LSD gel. Magness ordered and tracked the drugs via Snapchat.

On November 3, 2021, Bloomington Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Magness’s Bloomington residence. Officers located $2,251 in cash, approximately 20 fentanyl pills, approximately 13 ecstasy pills, approximately 5 grams of cocaine, 11 firearms, and multiple high-capacity magazines.

“Fentanyl traffickers value profits far more than the lives they are putting in danger,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “They will use any means necessary, including the U.S. Postal Service, to satisfy their greed and exploit substance abuse. I commend the work of the USPIS, ISP, and the Bloomington PD in curtailing this defendant and saving lives in the process.”

“What we have here today is a perfect example of what happens when different law enforcement agencies pool their resources and expertise to achieve a common goal to protect the citizens of Indiana from the illegal and dangerous drugs. It is our duty as postal inspectors to go after those individuals who attempt to ship illicit drugs through the US Mail. Our goal to protect the nation’s mail system from criminal misuse was achieved through our partnership with Indiana State Police and Bloomington Police Department.” Rodney M Hopkins, Postal Inspector in Charge, Detroit Division.

USPIS investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by the Bloomington Police Department and ISP. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Magness be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 4 years following his release from federal prison. Additionally, Magness is subject to a $500.00 fine.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Patrick G. Gibson, who prosecuted this case.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. 6 out of 10 illegal fentanyl tablets sold on U.S. streets now contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.

One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs.  Fentanyl is used because it’s cheap.  Small variations in the quantity or quality of fentanyl in a fake prescription pill can accidentally create a lethal dosage.  Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug poisoning deaths in the United States.  Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies, like Percocet and Xanax.  For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These particular pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors.  They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill.  Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late. 

Alleged to have extorted and made death threats to minor victims around the country-Victims are urged to contact law enforcement if threats were made

PRESS RELEASE

Indianapolis –A Bakersfield, California, man was recently charged in the Southern District of Indiana for making cyber threats to young woman in a suburb of Indianapolis. He is also believed to have made similar threats to other teenagers around the country in as many as ten states, including Maine. Buster Hernandez, 26, a/k/a Brian Kil, a/k/a Purge of Maine, was charged with threats to use an explosive device, threats to injure and sexual exploitation of a child.

“Terrorizing young victims through the use of social media and hiding behind the anonymity of the Internet will not be tolerated by this office,” said Minkler. “Those who think they can outwit law enforcement and are above being caught should think again. Mr. Hernandez’s reign of terror is over.”

According to court documents, the Brownsburg Police Department contacted the FBI in December 2015, asking for assistance with a cyber-threat case involving a minor female victim (Victim 1), a resident of Plainfield Indiana. The threats came from a person known only at the time as “Brian Kil” who used Facebook to communicate with Victim 1 to extort sexually explicit pictures from her. This pattern continued for approximately 16 months with Victim 1 sending sexually explicit images of herself under threat by “Brian Kil.” This technique is commonly referred to as “sextortion.”

When Victim 1 refused to provide additional images as demanded, Hernandez is alleged to have made physical threats to Victim 1, stating “I am coming for you. I will slaughter your entire class and save you for last.” He further made threats to law enforcement saying, “I will add a dozen dead police to my tally…Try me pigs, I will finish you off as well.” These threats caused school administrators to close the Plainfield and Danville High Schools. The Shops at Perry Crossing in Plainfield was also closed December 19, 2015, but reopened the following day after law enforcement insured there were no credible threats.

Hernandez is also alleged to have sexually exploited and threatened two other minor victims (Victims 2 and 3). When Victim 2 stopped complying with Hernandez’s demands, he posted sexually explicit images and videos of Victim 2 that she sent to Hernandez against her will. According to the complaint affidavit, Hernandez asked Victim 3 to attend a community forum held in Plainfield, Indiana, and record law enforcement’s statements about the investigation into “Brian Kil.”

In addition, Hernandez is alleged to have “sextorted” a number of victims in at least 10 federal districts.

“This was a unique and complex investigation that highlights the tenacity, perseverance, expertise and dedication of the FBI Indianapolis’ Crimes Against Children Task Force and was a top priority. Innovative techniques were utilized, solutions to roadblocks created and partnerships with key private sector partners were developed,” said W. Jay Abbott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division. “I stood in front of concerned parents and community members and told them we would find the person who had been victimizing these young girls and, with the tireless work of our agents and partners, we never gave up.”

Hernandez had his initial appearance in the Eastern District of California on Friday, August 4, 2017. He will appeared before a magistrate judge in Indianapolis at 3pm Wednesday, Aug 30, 2017.

This investigation was jointly conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana State Police, the Plainfield Police Department and the Brownsburg Police Department.

Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter said, “I have no doubt Buster Hernandez had forgotten all about Plainfield, Indiana and the terror he inflicted; but none of us here forgot.” Carter concluded, “We said we’d keep looking until we found you, and we did.”

According to Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston who is prosecuting this case for the government, Hernandez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, and a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment if convicted on all counts.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.

If you believe you have been a victim of sextortion by Buster Hernandez, a/k/a Brian Kil, a/k/a Purge of Maine, please contact the Indianapolis FBI Office at https://tips.fbi.gov/ or call 317-595-4000, Option 2, to make a report.

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Alleged to have extorted and made death threats to minor victims, and to use explosive devices at Plainfield and Danville High Schools.

PRESS RELEASE

Indianapolis –United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today that a Bakersfield, California, man has been federally charged for his role in threatening to use explosive devices at Plainfield and Danville, Indiana High Schools, making cyber threats to female victims and producing child pornography. Buster Hernandez, 26, was charged with threats to use an explosive device, threats to injure and sexual exploitation of a child.

“Terrorizing young victims through the use of social media and hiding behind the anonymity of the Internet will not be tolerated by this office,” said Minkler. “Those who think they can outwit law enforcement and are above being caught should think again. Mr. Hernandez’s reign of terror is over.”

According to court documents, the Brownsburg Police Department contacted the FBI in December 2015, asking for assistance with a cyber-threat case involving a minor female victim (Victim 1), a resident of Plainfield Indiana. The threats came from a person known only at the time as “Brian Kil” who used Facebook to communicate with Victim 1 to extort sexually explicit pictures from her. This pattern continued for approximately 16 months with Victim 1 sending sexually explicit images of herself under threat by “Brian Kil.” This technique is commonly referred to as “sextortion.”

When Victim 1 refused to provide additional images as demanded, Hernandez is alleged to have made physical threats to Victim 1, stating “I am coming for you. I will slaughter your entire class and save you for last.” He further made threats to law enforcement saying, “I will add a dozen dead police to my tally…Try me pigs, I will finish you off as well.” These threats caused school administrators to close the Plainfield and Danville High Schools. The Shops at Perry Crossing in Plainfield was also closed December 19, 2015, but reopened the following day after law enforcement insured there were no credible threats.

Hernandez is also alleged to have sexually exploited and threatened two other minor victims (Victims 2 and 3). When Victim 2 stopped complying with Hernandez’s demands, he posted sexually explicit images and videos of Victim 2 that she sent to Hernandez against her will. According to the complaint affidavit, Hernandez asked Victim 3 to attend a community forum held in Plainfield, Indiana, and record law enforcement’s statements about the investigation into “Brian Kil.”

In addition, Hernandez is alleged to have “sextorted” a number of victims in at least 10 federal districts.

“This was a unique and complex investigation that highlights the tenacity, perseverance, expertise and dedication of the FBI Indianapolis’ Crimes Against Children Task Force and was a top priority. Innovative techniques were utilized, solutions to roadblocks created and partnerships with key private sector partners were developed,” said W. Jay Abbott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division. “I stood in front of concerned parents and community members and told them we would find the person who had been victimizing these young girls and, with the tireless work of our agents and partners, we never gave up.”

Hernandez had his initial appearance in the Eastern District of California on Friday, August 4, 2017, and will be transported by the United States Marshal Service to federal court in Indianapolis where he will face charges from the criminal complaint.

This investigation was jointly conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana State Police, the Plainfield Police Department and the Brownsburg Police Department.

Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter said, “I have no doubt Buster Hernandez had forgotten all about Plainfield, Indiana and the terror he inflicted; but none of us here forgot.” Carter concluded, “We said we’d keep looking until we found you, and we did.”

“The FBI told us that this would be a long investigation and they were right,” said Plainfield Police Chief Darel Krieger. “However, with dogged determination they have apprehended a person who they believe is the person who posed as Brian Kil. We are grateful not only to the FBI but to all the agencies involved in this investigation (federal state and local) and the great partnership that was shown over the past 20 months.”

“The Brownsburg Police Department is grateful for the opportunity to have personnel from our agency assigned to such a specialized criminal enforcement division such as the Internet Crimes Against Children,” said Chief Joe Grimes. “These partnerships between federal and local agencies allow for a vast availability of resources to safeguard our communities and demonstrate law enforcement’s commitment to protecting the innocent.”

According to Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston who is prosecuting this case for the government, Hernandez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, and a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment if convicted on all counts.

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.

If you believe you have been a victim of sextortion by Buster Hernandez, a/k/a Brian Kil, please contact the Indianapolis FBI Office at https://tips.fbi.gov/ or call 317-595-4000, Option 2, to make a report.

INDIANAPOLIS– Devonte Bailey, 24, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on October 6, 2018, Bailey approached four men standing inside a residential garage in Indianapolis, asked for directions, and then left the area. Bailey returned a few minutes later, brandished a semiautomatic pistol, and demanded the keys to the victims’ vehicle and their cellular telephones. Bailey fled the scene in the stolen vehicle.

The next day an officer with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) received a report of shots fired and responded to the area. When the officer arrived in the vicinity of where the shots were reported, he saw Bailey sitting in the driver’s seat of the stolen vehicle. As the officer approached Bailey, he drove away at a high rate of speed. The officer initiated a vehicle pursuit, which ended at an apartment building. Bailey exited the vehicle, entered an apartment, and ran out the rear of the building. The officer searched Bailey’s vehicle and found a 9mm handgun inside.

On November 1, 2018, Bailey entered a Dollar Tree on High School Road. Bailey approached the check-out counter, brandished a silver revolver, and demanded money. The cashier ran from the register and Bailey left the store without any money.

Later that same day, Bailey entered a Circle K on Lafayette Road. Bailey grabbed a bag of Doritos and proceeded to the check-out counter. Bailey again brandished the silver revolver and demanded money and cigarettes from the cashier, and the cashier complied.

On November 7, 2018, Bailey entered the same Circle K on Lafayette Road, again brandishing the silver revolver. Bailey walked behind the counter and removed money from the register and several packs of cigarettes before fleeing the store.

On November 16, 2018, Bailey entered the Kentucky Fried Chicken/Taco Bell on Georgetown Road. Bailey brandished the silver revolver and demanded money from the safe. Bailey instructed an employee to open the safe. Bailey removed the money from the safe and then fled the restaurant.

On November 22, 2018, Bailey went back to the Circle K on Lafayette Road for a third time. When Bailey entered the store, none of the employees were inside. Bailey exited the store and located an employee and a customer standing together near the exit. Bailey brandished the silver revolver and demanded money from the cash register. The employee complied. Bailey took the customer’s car keys and fled the store. The customer chased Bailey as he ran from the store. Bailey dropped his backpack as he was fleeing and drove away in a vehicle, but not the customer’s vehicle. The customer tried to block Bailey from leaving and Bailey almost hit him with the vehicle as he drove away. Bailey drove the vehicle into a nearby tree. Bailey exited the vehicle and ran into a storage area. Police responded moments later, and Bailey was arrested. Officers searched the backpack that Bailey had discarded and found a silver 9mm revolver.

Bailey was transported to the police station where he was interviewed. Bailey confessed to the robberies. In a subsequent interview with a federal agent, Bailey confessed to the October 6, 2018, carjacking and admitted to brandishing a 9mm handgun.

Bailey was previously convicted in Marion County, Indiana for battery with a deadly weapon. Bailey was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law due this felony conviction.

Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana; Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division; and Randal Taylor, Police Chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department; made the announcement.

The FBI investigated the case with assistance from ATF and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Bailey be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence D. Hilton who prosecuted this case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

 

Shelby County woman pleading guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion charges

PRESS RELEASE

Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh Minkler today announced that Julie Ann Ashman, 43, of Fairland, Indiana, has been charged federally in connection with a long-running scheme to defraud a small business where she served as bookkeeper. Ashman allegedly embezzled a total of over $1.8 million. Ashman has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of wire fraud and tax evasion.

“We count on the people we work with to be honest, especially people who occupy positions of trust,” said Minkler. “Exploiting that trust for purely personal gain can devastate an organization, especially a small business. Those who choose to commit fraud will be caught, prosecuted, and held accountable.”

Ashman served for years as bookkeeper of a southern Indiana small business specializing in repairing and refurbishing X-ray medical equipment, according to court documents. She was responsible for recording all deposits and payments in the company’s ledger, which she provided annually to the company’s accountant. She also had access to the company’s checkbook.

For over four and a half years, Ashman allegedly used her position and access to secretly siphon company funds to her own bank account. Ashman cut checks to herself for between $3,000 and $5,000 up to 15 times per month. To conceal the missing funds, she intentionally understated the company’s revenue on its ledgers, leaving the company’s owners and its accountant to believe the company was barely profitable. She also falsified the checks’ memo lines to make them appear to be for legitimate business expenses. In total, Ashman allegedly cut 436 company checks to herself for a total of $1,805,015.12.

Additionally, Ashman allegedly failed to report to the IRS or pay taxes on the money she stole. She omitted from the company’s books any reference to the payments to herself, which prevented the company from issuing her a W-2 or 1099. Further, none of her tax returns made any reference to the hundreds of thousands of dollars she spent on herself each year. In total, Ashman evaded paying taxes of $463,078.00.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service.

Assistant United States Attorney Nick Linder, who is prosecuting the case for the government, said that Ashman has agreed to plead guilty to charges of wire fraud and tax evasion. She faces up to 20 years in prison on the fraud charge and up to 5 years in prison on the tax evasion charge.

Charges are not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.

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