United States Attorney David Capp announced a Third Superseding Indictment charging eight additional individuals alleged to be members of the Imperial Gangsters street gang in a 41 count indictment unsealed today.

Attorney Capp says, "With this indictment we have now charged 23 members of the Imperial Gangsters.  The indictments allege 12 murders and eight attempted murders.  The Imperial Gangsters is an ongoing criminal enterprise and we will continue our efforts until all members are off the streets." 

Capp says that Count 1 charges the eight additional defendants with Conspiracy to Participate in Racketeering Activity and Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute Five Kilograms or more of Cocaine and 100 Kilograms or more of Marijuana.  In addition, according to the US Attorney's office, this conspiracy count alleges that the Imperial Gangsters committed these offenses from 2002 to 2012.  Today's indictment alleges five additional homicides that were not alleged in previous indictments, and also alleges four additional attempted homicides that were not previously charged.

The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, FIreamrs, Explosives, the East Chicago Police Deaprtment, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the gary police Department, the Hammond Police Department and the Lake County HIDTA.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney David J. Nozick, according to the Attorney's office.

The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.  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.

(US Attorney David Capp & Robert Jones, FBI)

Asst. Attorney David Nozick, East Chicago police Chief Mark Becker, US Attorney David Capp, Robert Jones, FBI, Indiana, Gary, Chief Wade Ingram

East Chicago Police Chief, Mark Becker

  (photos courtesy of jstevens Radio One)

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MUNSTER | Northern Indiana Region Franciscan Alliance locations are seeking donations to assist Hurricane Sandy victims on the East Coast.

Franciscan Physicians Hospital employees Lori Postma, Kari Wall, Mary Beth Kosiba and Robin Rossner, will deliver donations personally, departing November 16.

Items needed include canned goods, pet food, cases of water, diapers of all sizes, hand sanitizer, toiletries, wet wipes, household cleaning supplies, non-perishable prepared foods. Clothing is not...

Read more: Hurricane Sandy Donation Drive

The Lake County Coroner's Office says the case of Levi Evans has been reopened. Coroner Merrilee Frey issued a press release today stating the case is being reopened to evaluate the possibility of additional factors that may have contributed to the circumstances of his death. The Times reports the 17 year old's body was found by three nearby residents of Ventura Estates, around 6:35, on August 8^th, in a field behind a restaurant, near Lake Central School on U.S. 41, with no signs of apparent...

Read more: Coroner Reopens Levi Evans Case

This Veteran's Day runners from across the region and neighboring states will meet for the 3^rd annual Valparaiso Half Marathon, which means some roads in Valparaiso will have limited to no traffic during that day. Officials say, in order to protect the runners, from 8am through 12pm, Murvihill Road, from Eastport Centre through County Road 450 East; County Road 450 East, from County Road 100 North to County Road 200 North; County Road 200 North, fromCounty Road 450 East to County Road 600 East;...

Read more: Valpo Half Marathon Sunday

The Indiana State Department of Health today confirmed another case of fungal meningitis in Indiana, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 52, with four deaths. The Times reports all four deaths have occurred in northern Indiana, with the fourth victim reportedly a 62 year old woman from St. Joseph County, according to a statement made by the county's health director to the South Bend Tribune for a report Thursday. Published reports say all four deaths have occurred in northern...

Read more: 52 Confirmed IN Cases of Meningitis

Four men are in custody, each charged with felony murder and robbery, in the death of a 69 year old Michigan City man. Michigan City Police say 20 year old Ryan A. Phelps, 18 year old Melvin Joseph Basford, and two Michigan City teens aged 16 and 17, have each been individually charged with murder, felony murder, and felony robbery, after a judge found probable cause during a hearing this morning in LaPorte County Superior Court. Police says Gerald Peters was discovered dead in his home, just...

Read more: 4 Charged with Murder in Michigan City

The ramp connecting northbound I-65 to the westbound Borman Expressway (I-80/94) continues to be partially blocked with an accident involving a semi this morning.  The right lane on the ramp is blocked by the accident itself and crews working the accident scene, while the left lane has been open to traffic slowly getting past.  This has been leading to delays northbound on I-65 starting at around Ridge Road (as of 6:35am).

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Read more: Lane Blocked on I65 Ramp to Borman

Indiana State Police say Master Trooper Mike Hemphill’s traffic stop on US 30 in Starke County Thursday afternoon turned into a chase down US 30 after the suspect fled, a chase that ended miles away near Hobart. Troopers say radar showed the 28-year-old Loves Park, Illinois, man was going 90-miles an hour in a posted 60-mile-per-hour zone.  During the pursuit that followed, at one point going west on the eastbound side for about a mile, police say stop sticks were thrown out multiple times be...

Read more: Multi-County Chase in NW Indiana

News Release: November 8, 2012

INDIANA HOUSE DEMOCRATS SELECT PELATH, LAWSON, SUMMERS AS LEADERS

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana House Democrats today selected State Rep. Scott Pelath (D-Michigan City) as their leader for the 118th Indiana General Assembly.

            Along with selecting Pelath as House Democratic Leader, caucus members chose State Rep. Linda Lawson (D-Hammond) to serve as House Democratic Floor Leader and State Rep. Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis) to continue as House Democratic Caucus...

Read more: Ind House Democrats Choose Leaders

Porter County Recorder Jon Miller is warning the public about a deed solicitation letter being mailed to local homeowners by not one but several different companies, with names like “Local Records Office,” Records Retrieval Department,” and “Secured Document,” among others. Miller says they market a “Deed Processing Notice” or something similar, for 86-dollars a copy – plus an extra 35-dollar fee after a certain date. Miller says per Indiana law, you can get a copy of your deed for one-dollar a...

Read more: Public Warned About 'Deed Letter'