Hammond, Indiana – A federal court in Hammond, Indiana has seen several guilty pleas and sentencing hearings in the past week. One of the most notable cases involves Ola Mohammad, a 33-year-old resident of Bridgeview, Illinois.
Mohammad pleaded guilty to the felony offense of knowingly and willfully conspiring to defraud the United States Department of Agriculture’s benefit program and defrauding the USDA benefit program through wire fraud. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Sentencing has been set for November 20, 2014. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Berkowitz.
According to the indictment, Mohammad was part of a larger conspiracy to defraud the USDA benefit program. The exact amount of money involved in the conspiracy was not specified in the indictment. However, the charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
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.
Mohammad’s case is just one of several high-profile convictions in the past week. Other notable cases include Piljo Piljagic, a 31-year-old resident of Chicago, Illinois, who pleaded guilty to the felony offense of illegal entry to the United States.
Piljagic’s case was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security. Sentencing has been set for November 12, 2014. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randy Stewart.
In a separate case, Tomika Yates, a 40-year-old resident of Grand Prairie, Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and aiding and abetting. This charge was filed as a result of an investigation by the United States Postal Service. Sentencing has been set for November 14, 2014. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Houston.
Another notable case involves Alanden O. Johnson, a 44-year-old resident of Gary, Indiana, who was sentenced to a 41 month term of imprisonment, followed by a three years term of supervised release, on her guilty plea to the felony offense of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. According to documents filed in this case, between 2006 and 2008 in and around Gary, Indiana, Johnson was part of a drug distribution network. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacqueline Jacobs.
These cases demonstrate the ongoing efforts of federal law enforcement agencies to combat crime and protect the public. They also highlight the importance of cooperation between agencies and the need for continued vigilance in the face of evolving threats.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana will continue to work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice and ensure that those who commit crimes are held accountable for their actions.
Related Federal Cases
- Shawn Edwards, Wire Fraud, Indiana 2022 · North Carolina
- Tonya Robinson, Bank Fraud, Indiana 2024 · Indiana
- Linda Deavers, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering, Florida 2014 · Florida
- Deconna Burke, Wire Fraud, Florida 2023 · Florida
- Shehzadkhan Khandakhan Pathan, Mail and Wire Fraud, Virginia 2023 · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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