Tag: Indiana
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…
Robert Baccari, Dog Fighting, Florida 2018
⏱ 2 min read A brutal international dog fighting and cocaine trafficking ring that terrorized central Indiana has been brought to justice. 13 defendants have been sentenced for their roles in the ring, which was also known for its use of firearms. The defendants, who were caught after a multi-agency investigation, were involved in a…
James Johnson, Murder, California 2020
⏱ 2 min read A brazen daylight robbery turned deadly at The Line, a bar in Momence, Illinois, on February 2, 2026. Julius Burkes, 47, allegedly used a firearm to kill the owner, sending shockwaves through the tight-knit community. Burkes, an Indiana resident, was arrested in Hammond, Indiana, just one day later by local police…
Brenda Denise Walters, Embezzlement, Indiana 2026
⏱ 2 min read A bookkeeper at a nonprofit serving elderly adults in Indiana has been sentenced to 22 months in federal prison for stealing nearly $80,000 from her vulnerable clients. Brenda Denise Walters, 57, of Nappanee, carried out a year-long scheme to defraud mentally incapacitated seniors by transferring funds from their personal bank accounts…
Youhuang Xiang, E. coli Smuggling, Indiana 2024
⏱ 2 min read Youhuang Xiang, a 32-year-old former post-doctoral researcher at Indiana University, has been sentenced for smuggling E. coli DNA from China into the United States. Xiang, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, pleaded guilty to concealing the biologic materials in a shipment of clothing from Guangzhou Sci-Tech Innovation Trading, a…
John Greenfield, Online Child Grooming, Massachusetts 2023
⏱ 4 min read Bobby Linhart, a 24-year-old Greenfield, Indiana resident, has been locked up for 40 years after exploiting at least six minors between the ages of 12 and 15 on social media. Linhart, who used the username ‘maps.syb,’ targeted victims on Instagram, Telegram, Snapchat, and X between April 2023 and March 2024. He…
Adrian L Johnson, Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearms Possession, Indiana 2022
FORT WAYNE, IN – Adrian L Johnson, 50, is headed to federal prison for 15 years after pleading guilty to trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms. U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady handed down the 180-month sentence yesterday, followed by an eight-year supervised release. The bust originated from a routine traffic stop. Back in…
