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Date: 04-17-2018
Case Style:
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.