Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Five Federal Inmates Charged with Possession of Contraband

April 14, 2010 - INDIANAPOLIS—Five inmates of the Federal Correctional Complex Terre Haute were charged with possession of contraband while in prison. Alvin Bear Heels, Jr., 35; Edward C. Crow, 30; Keister A. Gallman, 29; Sergio Melo-Santiago, 35; and Ramon Torres, 26, each face up to five additional years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 if convicted. These cases were the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Warden, who is prosecuting the cases for the government, Bear Heels, Crow, Gallman, Melo-Santiago, and Torres were found with plastic or metal “shanks,” which are forbidden because of their potential to cause bodily harm to other inmates and prison officials. An initial hearing for each defendant will be scheduled before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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