Tag: Indiana
Al Stevenson McGhee, Possessing Firearms as a Felon, Indiana 2024
⏱ 2 min read Al Stevenson McGhee, a 47-year-old Indianapolis man, pleaded guilty to possessing firearms as a felon after a harrowing SWAT standoff on November 6, 2024. McGhee had pointed a silver revolver at his girlfriend when she returned home from work, threatening to shoot her if she left her bedroom. The victim escaped…
Terry Lee Phillips, Commodity Fraud, Indiana 2015
Indianapolis resident Terry Lee Phillips has been charged with commodity fraud by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), officials announced on September 17, 2015. Phillips, along with his companies Phillips Investment & Trust LLC and Corporate I Communications & Technology Inc., allegedly defrauded investors out of at least $113,400 between 2011 and 2014. The…
Arieon Lofton, Fentanyl Distribution, Indiana 2025
⏱ 2 min read A 27-year-old Indianapolis man was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for selling fentanyl that led to a deadly overdose in July 2025. Arieon Lofton pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. The victim, identified as J.A., arranged a trade for suboxone strips and…
Jimmy the Greek, Sports Betting Racketeering, New York 1980
⏱ 2 min read A ruthless illegal gambling operation in northwest Indiana, known as Porterhouse Parlay, has been busted with 22 defendants charged, including notorious gambler James L. Gerodemos, aka ‘Jimmy the Greek.’ According to a 28-count indictment unsealed on April 29, 2026, the organization used threats and intimidation to collect on debts, and laundered…
Arieon Lofton, Fentanyl Trafficking, Indiana 2025
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – Arieon Lofton, 27, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 16 years and two months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, on July 26, 2025, the victim, identified as ‘J.A.,’ began…
Michael Deckinga, Distribution of Child Pornography, Indiana 2026
⏱ 2 min read A Dyer man, Michael Deckinga, 42, is headed to federal prison for 15 years for distributing child pornography. The sleazeball, who posed as a respectable educator at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, hid behind a veil of anonymity to collect and distribute the vilest child abuse material. According to investigators, Deckinga used Kik…
Rodney L. Naylor, Bruce Naylor, Operating an Illegal Gambling Business, Indiana 2023
⏱ 2 min read A high-stakes gambling ring in Fort Wayne, Indiana is busted, with eight defendants facing federal charges for running an illegal gambling business. The alleged ringleaders, including Rodney L. Naylor and Bruce Naylor, brother and brother-in-law, allegedly profited handsomely from their operation, which was uncovered after an investigation by the FBI, Indiana…
Hoosier Hellion, Crime Survivors in Northern Indiana Get Justice, Indiana 2023
⏱ 2 min read A private ceremony in Indianapolis honored 18 advocates from federal, state, and local law enforcement for their dedication to supporting victims of federal crime. U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Wheeler II recognized the team’s efforts, citing over 14,000 victim contacts and $7.4 million in collected civil debts. Victim Witness Coordinators Stephanie Lloyd…
Devin Melvin, Fentanyl Trafficking, Indiana 2023
⏱ 2 min read A 33-year-old Michigan man was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for running a fentanyl trafficking operation in Michigan City, Indiana. Devin Melvin, the mastermind behind the operation, orchestrated the distribution of tens of thousands of fentanyl pills over 10 months in 2023 and 2024. Melvin’s crew, which included Clinton Rouse,…
Joseph M. Merk, Wire Fraud, Bank Fraud, Tax Evasion, Indiana 2020
⏱ 3 min read A Southern Indiana con artist has been caught and sent packing to the slammer for a years-long scam that bilked nearly $600,000 from unsuspecting lenders. Joseph M. Merk, 38, of Crandall, Indiana, was sentenced to 4.5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to four counts of wire fraud, one count…
