LaPorte County Traffic Stop Leads to Lengthy Prison Sentence for South Bend Man

A South Bend man has been sentenced to almost 22 years in prison, in connection with a LaPorte County traffic stop that reportedly turned up heroin, crack, and a .38 caliber revolver back in April. Marvin Cates, 43, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office.

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Federal Judge Sentences Former LaPorte County Chief Deputy Auditor

 A former LaPorte County chief deputy auditor was sentenced this week in U.S. District Court on embezzlement, tax and wire fraud charges.

Mary Ray, 68, of LaPorte, was sentenced to seven years in prison. She was also ordered to forfeit more than $137,000 and pay more than $801,000 in restitution. She was convicted last September of two counts of theft of government monies, two counts of making false statements on a tax return and seven counts of wire fraud. Continue reading

Father Speaks Out About DCS Investigation Into Daughter’s Death

 
 

A prescription dosing error and an apparent rush to judgment by state officials nearly a decade ago following the 2005 death of a Francesville girl cost her family their livelihood, home and reputations. Roman and Lynette Finnegan and their surviving children recently won a $31.5 million judgment against DCS officials and others involved in the investigation of their 14-year-old daughter Jessica’s death. She suffered from congestive heart failure and died as a result of an accidental overdose due to a prescribing error, according to court documents. Earlier this week Roman spoke exclusively with WKVI News and said he had no idea he and his wife were suspects in their daughter’s death.

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Huddleston Sentenced in U.S. District Court

  A Medaryville man was sentenced in U.S. District Court this week.

James Huddleston, 42, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $53,790.49 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and forfeiture allegations.

According to documents filed in this case, from August 2011 through April 2013, Huddleston, while employed as the business manager for the Lake Ridge Public Schools in Gary, embezzled $134,054 which caused Lake Ridge to incur associated fees. Court documents indicate that gambled with much of the money he embezzled. Huddleston failed to report the embezzled income to the IRS and owes the IRS $25,000 in taxes as a result of the crime.

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