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Date: 04-17-2018

Case Style:

United States of America v. Mary Elgin, Ethel Shelton, Steven Hunter and Alex Wheeler

Northern District of Indiana Federal Courthouse - Lafayette, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Hammond

Case Number: 2:14-cr-00129-JVB-JEM

Judge: Joseph Van Bokkelen

Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana (Lake County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Philip Craig Benson, Maria N. Lerner, Abizer Zanzi

Defendant's Attorney: Kevin E. Milner for Mary Elgin


Andrea Gambino for Ethel Shelton


R. Brian Woodward for Steven Hunter


Larry W. Rogers for Alex Wheeler

Description: Hammond, IN - The United States of America charged Calumet Township Trustee employees Mary Elgin Ethel Shelton, 72, and Alex Wheeler, age 68, with:

Mary Elgin (1)
Office: Hammond Filed: 12/18/2014
County: Lake Terminated: Reopened:
Other Court Case: None

Count: 1 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:1349 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT WIRE FRAUD
Count: 11 Citation: 18:1951.F Offense Level: 4
18:1951 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT EXTORTION UNDER COLOR OF OFFICIAL RIGHT AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 12 Citation: 18:1951.F Offense Level: 4
18:1951 ATTEMPTED EXTORTION UNDER COLOR OF OFFICIAL RIGHT AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 13 Citation: 18:1001.F Offense Level: 4
18:1001 FALSE STATEMENT TO AN AGENCY OF THE UNITED STATES
Count: 14 Citation: 26:7203D.F Offense Level: 4
26:7203 FAILURE TO FILE A TAX RETURN
Count: 15 Citation: 26:7203D.F Offense Level: 4
26:7203 FAILURE TO FILE A TAX RETURN
Count: 2 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 3 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 4-5 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 6 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 AND 18:1346 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:1349 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT HONEST SERVICES WIRE FRAUD
Count: 7-10 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 AND 18:1346 HONEST SERVICES WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Defendant Custody Status: Released

Ethel Shelton (2)
Office: Hammond Filed: 12/18/2014
County: Lake Terminated: Reopened:
Other Court Case: None

Count: 1 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:1349 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT WIRE FRAUD
Count: 11 Citation: 18:1951.F Offense Level: 4
18:1951 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT EXTORTION UNDER COLOR OF OFFICIAL RIGHT AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 2 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 3 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 4-5 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 6 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 AND 18:1346 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:1349 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT HONEST SERVICES WIRE FRAUD
Count: 7-10 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 AND 18:1346 HONEST SERVICES WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Defendant Custody Status: Released

Steven Hunter (3)
Office: Hammond Filed: 12/18/2014
County: Lake Terminated: Reopened:
Other Court Case: None

Count: 1 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:1349 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT WIRE FRAUD
Count: 11 Citation: 18:1951.F Offense Level: 4
18:1951 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT EXTORTION UNDER COLOR OF OFFICIAL RIGHT AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 2 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 3 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 4-5 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 6 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 AND 18:1346 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:1349 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT HONEST SERVICES WIRE FRAUD
Count: 7-10 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 AND 18:1346 HONEST SERVICES WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Defendant Custody Status: Released



Alex Wheeler (4)
Office: Hammond Filed: 12/18/2014
County: Lake Terminated: Reopened:
Other Court Case: None

Count: 1 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:1349 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT WIRE FRAUD
Count: 11 Citation: 18:1951.F Offense Level: 4
18:1951 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT EXTORTION UNDER COLOR OF OFFICIAL RIGHT AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 2 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 3 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 4-5 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Count: 6 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 AND 18:1346 WIRE FRAUD AND 18:1349 CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT HONEST SERVICES WIRE FRAUD
Count: 7-10 Citation: 18:1343.F Offense Level: 4
18:1343 AND 18:1346 HONEST SERVICES WIRE FRAUD AND 18:2 AIDING AND ABETTING
Defendant Custody Status: Released

All of the Defendants worked in Mary Elgin's township trustee's office and were accused of fraud and conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.

Wheeler supervised the township's Job Search Works.

Outcome: Wheeler was found guilty by the jury which hung on the other charges.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: Editor's comment: Federal prosecutors secure conviction on more than 95% of the cases that are tried to juries.



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