A Winamac man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in South Bend this week.
Gary Marshall, 57, was sentenced to six months imprisonment and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Marshall had previous convictions for filing fictitious claims against the United States and transporting in interstate commerce, a falsely made security.
A Knox man was charged in an indictment with accessing with the intent to view child pornography in South Bend’s U.S. District Court last week.
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department investigated allegations that 40-year-old Jeffrey Farmer was involved in a child molestation incident and officers obtained a federal search warrant to search his computer. Agents discovered images depicting child pornography. Charges were brought about as a result of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Custom Office of Homeland Security Investigations, Starke County Sheriff’s Department and the Hammand Police Department.
Daniel Whited of Winamac was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court. Judge Jon DeGuilio sentenced him to 78 months imprisonment and four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Marijuana.
Daniel Whited was arrested last year after being sought by the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and all federal law enforcement entities for operating a marijuana growing operation in Pulaski County at 6573 W. 500 S. Officers located marijuana plants inside and outside the residence with an estimated street value of $610,000. Officers also found processed marijuana ready for packing, sale and distribution with an estimated street value of over $3 million.
Mint farmer, Mike Materna, of Hamlet, will be sentenced in U.S. District Court on Wednesday, October 5th. He plead guilty to one count of Discharge of Pollutants without a Permit in violation of the Clean Air Act. He reportedly admitted in court that he discharged hot water into a ditch without the proper permit.
Nathan VanDerAa’s plea agreement deadline date, as well as his trial date, have been postponed in U.S. District Court. No dates have been released from the U.S. Attorney’s Office but it is believed that his trial date has been moved to November.
VanDerAa has plead not guilty in federal court to two counts of Unlawful User of Controlled Substances in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition and one count of Manufacture of a Controlled Substance.
Nathan VanDerAa, of Star City, was in U.S. District Court in South Bend on Monday where he plead not guilty to two counts of Unlawful User of Controlled Substances in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition and one count of Manufacture of a Controlled Substance. A plea deadline date has been set for September 13th, 2011 and if a plea is not reached by that date, he will go on trial on September 20th. He is out of jail as he was released on an unsecured bond of $10,000 on July 6th.
