Salinas pleads guilty to federal bribery charge, resigns from council seat

Disgraced Hammond City Councilman Al Salinas resigned from office Monday, just a few hours after pleading guilty to taking more than $10,000 in kickbacks for steering city work to a contractor.

Portage man sentenced to eight years in child porn case

HAMMOND | A Portage man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison following his guilty plea to possession of child pornography.

Gary man is facing federal child pornography charges

HAMMOND | A Gary man was arrested Friday on federal charges of receiving and viewing child pornography using a web-based bulletin board, U.S. District Court records show.

Merrillville couple charged in federal insurance scheme

MERRILLVILLE | A Merrilliville couple stole more than $86,000 through false claims filed with home and vehicle insurance companies, federal authorities allege.

Former medical resident pleads guilty to illegally issuing perscriptions

HAMMOND | A former medical resident of a Northwest Indiana hospital has agreed to plead guilty to illegally prescribing narcotic painkillers, court records show.

Two Indiana man plead guilty to firearm possession charges

HAMMOND | Two Indiana men pleaded guilty this week in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Ex-title company employee admits embezzling in plea deal

HAMMOND | A Schererville woman has forged an agreement with federal prosecutors, admitting she stole $659,000 from the region title company that formerly employed her.

A tale of two Jack Schaaps

It's a tale of two Jack Schaaps: a steadfast church leader and Christian pillar who stumbled by committing a major transgression, versus a brutal authoritarian with a penchant for extramarital affairs and sermons laced with sexual innuendo.

Federal judge approves $7.2 million settlement in inmate lawsuit

HAMMOND | A federal judge signed off Friday on a $7.2 million settlement Lake County has agreed to pay to inmates who complained about jail conditions.

Chicago women sentenced in Latin Kings gang slayings

HAMMOND | A federal judge sentenced two Chicago women to years in prison Monday after they admitted to being involved in a gang-related murder, court records show.

Judge rules DEA agent used reasonable force in fatal '07 shooting

HAMMOND | A judge ruled a federal agent used reasonable force in the 2007 shooting death of Rosalio Rincon in a parking lot at a busy Hobart crossroads.

Judge's ruling deals setback to E.C. man suing Griffith for alleged wrongful arrest

HAMMOND | A federal judge tossed out most of a wrongful arrest lawsuit Monday that an East Chicago man filed last year against the town of Griffith and its police officers.

Victims view Weinberger sentence as sufficient

HAMMOND | Former patients and victims of Mark Weinberger expressed measured joy Friday for the seven-year prison sentence the former sinus doctor received.

Bank robber who tossed stolen cash onto interstate sentenced

SOUTH BEND | A man who robbed a Michigan City-area bank in April then led police on a chase through the region while throwing money out of his vehicle is heading to a federal prison.

Hammond pastor pleads guilty in child sex case

HAMMOND | With an orange jail jumpsuit and leg shackles replacing the suit and tie he wore to a previous hearing, disgraced Pastor Jack Schaap admitted Wednesday to having three sexual encounters with a parish girl beginning when she was 16.

Philpot trial to begin Monday

HAMMOND | A U.S. District Court judge cleared the way for the fraud trial of Lake County Coroner Thomas Philpot to begin Monday.

LaPorte man hopes plea deal is accepted in $400,000 scam

LAPORTE | A LaPorte man has agreed to spend time in federal prison and pay back more than $400,000 to victims of an alleged multistate scam.

Valparaiso man agrees to plead guilty to receiving child porn

A Valparaiso man filed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors Tuesday, admitting to receiving child pornography.

2 expected to plead guilty in federal heroin smuggling case

HAMMOND | Two defendants in a heroin smuggling case have filed court documents agreeing to plead guilty in Hammond federal court.

Hobart man charged with threatening the president

HAMMOND | A former Hobart mayoral candidate has been charged with federal counts of making threats against the U.S. president, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.