HAMMOND – U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced today that the Northern District of Indiana collected $6,637,580.30 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2021. Of this amount, $5,174,664.80 was collected in criminal actions and $1,462,915.50 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Northern District of Indiana worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $1,189,415.52 in civil cases pursued jointly by these offices.
“The Public needs to know that the United States Attorney’s office does far more than just prosecute violators of federal criminal law,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “We also strive to make crime victims whole by seeking to recover monies owed them as a result of restitution judgments entered by district judges. We also protect the federal treasury by collecting debts that are owed to the United States. These efforts are worthy of commendation.”
One example of these collection efforts includes the September 2021 consent decree requiring U. S. Steel Corporation to address alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and other federal and Indiana laws. U.S. Steel Corporation agreed to undertake substantial measures to improve wastewater treatment and monitoring systems at its steel manufacturing and finishing facility in Portage (known as its Midwest Plant) and to strengthen and broaden their public and stakeholder notification procedures in the event of a spill or release to ground, soil or water. The consent decree also required U.S. Steel Corporation to pay $931,854.56, which covered civil penalties and damages caused by the spill.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Northern District of Indiana working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,111,683 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2021. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
###
Giving Back to the Community through a variety of venues & initiatives.
Training and seminars for Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children.
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.