HAMMOND, Ind. – Eduardo Luciano, 35, a leader of the Hammond faction of the Latin Counts gang, will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of orchestrating a brazen shooting that left two innocent people dead in 2015. U.S. District Court Senior Judge Jon E. DeGuilio handed down the sentence Thursday, following a jury’s guilty verdict on multiple federal charges.
Luciano was found guilty of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, and two counts of using a firearm to commit murder. The sentencing brings a measure of closure to a case rooted in the bloody rivalry between the Latin Counts and the Latin Kings street gangs. Luciano received two Life sentences for the murders, to run concurrently with a Life sentence for racketeering and 240 months for the drug conspiracy charges.
The June 29, 2015, shooting unfolded on the 5500 block of Beall Avenue in Hammond, where members of the Latin Kings were gathered for a vigil honoring a recently slain member. Luciano and other Latin Counts members plotted the attack, driving to the location and unleashing a hail of gunfire into the crowd. Christopher White, 33, who was simply visiting family, was struck and killed in front of a relative’s home. Lauren Calvillo, just 16 years old, was fatally shot while sitting on the porch of her family’s home.
Federal investigators pieced together the conspiracy, revealing Luciano’s role as a key figure in directing the violence. The investigation, spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, involved a massive multi-agency effort. Assistance came from the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshal’s Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Indiana State Police, Gary Police Department, East Chicago Police Department, Chicago Police Department, and the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office.
The case is also part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, a federal initiative aimed at dismantling major drug trafficking and criminal organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Nozick, Caitlin M. Padula, and Kimberly L. Schultz prosecuted the case, presenting evidence that directly linked Luciano to the planning and execution of the deadly shooting.
While the sentencing won’t bring back White and Calvillo, it sends a clear message: gang violence will not be tolerated, and those who orchestrate such brutality will face the full weight of the law. The streets of Hammond are a little safer today with Luciano off them for good. This case underscores the ATF’s commitment to disrupting criminal enterprises and protecting communities from the scourge of gang-related violence.
Related Federal Cases
- Alexis Young, Aggravated Identity Theft, Hammond IN, 2016 · Illinois
- Dipen Patel Charged with FIFRA Violation, Hammond IN, 2023 · Illinois
- Nicole Pennington Sentenced to 44 Months for COVID Loan Wire Fraud,… · Ohio
- Christian Sturdivant, Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISI… · New York
- Regulators Gut Leveraged Lending Oversight, Fueling Risk · Illinois
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Organized Crime|Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News