Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

HAMMOND – United States Attorney David Capp announced two additional indictments in the ongoing effort against criminal street gangs in Northwest Indiana.  In one indictment, seventeen members or associates of the Latin Kings, all Indiana based, were charged with racketeering and other offenses.  In a separate indictment, two additional members of the Two Six Nation were indicted for murder in aid of racketeering.

 

U.S. Attorney Capp stated, “We have repeatedly announced that if you are a member of a violent street gang we are coming after you.  Today’s indictments are the latest in our ongoing enforcement effort to eliminate these criminal organizations from Northwest Indiana.  It does not matter how old you are or when your criminal conduct occurred, you are next.”

 

The Latin King indictment charges 17 members and associates with a criminal conspiracy that spanned a time period from 2003 until November 2015.  It alleges that the following individuals were participants in a racketeering conspiracy that involved murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery, kidnapping, sex trafficking and narcotics distribution:

 

Anton Lamont James aka “Ghost,” 19, of Hammond;

Jason Christopher Brown aka “Midnight,” 21, of Merrillville;

Javier Castillo, 19, of Hammond;

Rodolfo Carlos Flores aka “Big Head,” 29, of Hammond;

Francisco Gamez aka “Frank Nitti,” 30, of Portage;

Alexis Santos, 20, of Hammond;

Joseph Uvalle aka “Little Foot,” 33, of Crown Point;

Pierre Java Forest aka “Joker,” 21, of Harvey, IL;

Keith Trevor Manuel aka “Smiley,” 26, of Gary;

Aldon Perez aka “Spooky,” 20, of Hammond;

Jose Antonio Sanchez aka “Sly,” 26, of Hammond;

Julian Robert Rebeles aka “King Porky,” 24, of Hammond;

Mario Resendiz aka “Spank,” “Rio”, 23, of East Chicago;

Alberto Tirado aka “B Murda,” 25, of East Chicago;

Raymond Fazekas aka “Pirate,” 26, of Lake Station.  

 

The indictment alleges that these defendants were members of various Latin Kings factions in Hammond, East Chicago and Gary. The indictment also alleges a conspiracy to possess and distribute five kilograms of cocaine and 100 kilograms of marijuana against all of these same individuals, in addition to Sean Yancey aka “Demon,” 21 of Gary.

 

In addition Melinda Milton, 35, of East Chicago and Joseph Uvalle were charged with various counts of sex trafficking by fraud or coercion and interstate transportation for prostitution.

 

A previous Latin King indictment had charged Anton James, 19, of Hammond, with murder in aid of racketeering and murder resulting from the use of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged role in the murder of Martin Hurtado Sr.  The indictment alleges that, on Oct. 28, 2014, James shot and killed Hurtado Sr. believing that he was Martin Hurtado Jr., whom James believed was a rival gang member.  This count carries over unchanged from the first indictment. 

 

Also, when James was arrested, Dalia Guerrero, 39, of Merrillville, mother of James, used threat of physical force against a witness in order to influence, delay and prevent testimony of a witness in an official proceeding.  A week after that incident, Jasmine McMichael, 22, of East Chicago was arrested and charged for her participation in the same confrontation.  Guerreo and McMichael were each charged with obstruction of justice under a separate indictment. They have pled guilty to that count, and are awaiting sentencing.  

 

In a separate indictment involving the Two Six Nation criminal organization, Anthony Laviena, 35, of Staten Island, New York, and Deaundra L. Joshua aka “D Ruff,” 45, of Gary, Indiana, were charged with murder in aid of racketeering and use of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence.  This is for their alleged roles in the killing of Albert “Greeny” Guzman.  The indictment alleges that, on or about October 6, 1999, Laviena and Joshua shot and killed Guzman for the purpose of maintaining and enhancing their positions within the gang. 

 

In addition, the Two Six Nation indictment alleges two more homicides committed by Two Six members in furtherance of this criminal organization. On January 5, 1991, Jesus Fuentes, who recently plead guilty in federal court to racketeering, and others shot an killed Miguel Fernandez, a Latin King member,  in East Chicago during an attempted robbery.  Also, on October 30, 1997, Fuentes directed Julio Cartagena, now deceased, of Hammond, to kill Edwardo Miranda in Gary as Miranda was believed to have stolen weapons from the Two Six.

 

The Two Six Nation indictment is being worked in conjunction with the United States Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Organized Crime and Gang Section.

 

The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in court.

 

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.

 

These cases are the result of the investigative efforts of; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Lake County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Department and Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents.  The Lake County Prosecutor’s Office also has provided assistance.  The Latin King case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Nozick, Dean Lanter and Abizer Zanzi of the Northern District of Indiana.  The Two-Six case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Nozick and Thomas M. McGrath of the Northern District of Indiana and Trial Attorney Andrew Creighton of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.

 

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