May 17, 2013

News Release

Indianapolis, Ind. — Following careful review, Governor Mike Pence announced today that Indiana has withdrawn the incentives the state offered to Midwest Fertilizer Company to build a fertilizer plant in Posey County.

On November 30, 2012, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) offered a package of incentives to Midwest Fertilizer Company to build a fertilizer manufacturing facility in Posey County. The Fatima Group, a Pakistan-based fertilizer company, owns 48 percent of Midwest Fertilizer Company.

In December 2012, Lt. Gen. Michael Barbero, the director of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), testified before the U.S. Senate that Fatima Group had been “less than cooperative” in efforts to reduce the improvised explosive device (IED) threat in Central and South Asia.

On January 15, 2013, the day after his inauguration, Governor Pence directed the IEDC to place the incentives for the Posey County project on hold pending a review in light of Fatima Group’s ownership interest in Midwest Fertilizer Company.

For the past four months Governor Pence and officials from Indiana have worked closely with officials from the U.S. Department of Defense and others in the federal government to conduct a review of Fatima Group. The company has informed U.S. defense officials that they have a reformulated product that is less explosive, but U.S. officials have not yet tested the product. While testing of Fatima’s product may address U.S. concerns, the testing will not be done in time to satisfy what the State understands is the company’s financing time schedule.

Governor Pence’s statement follows.

“I did not take this decision lightly. Economic development is important, but the safety and security of our soldiers in harm’s way is more important.
“Throughout the past four months, our administration has worked in good faith to evaluate whether our state should be involved in this project. I am aware of Fatima Group’s efforts and cooperation with federal defense officials in recent weeks and believe their actions to be sincere.

“While we have been encouraged by promises made by Fatima Group to replace production of their current fertilizer with a more inert and less explosive formula in Pakistan, at this point in time, U.S. officials have not been able to independently confirm this fact and, as such, Indiana will not be moving forward with this project.

“Without assurances from our Defense Department that the materials which have been misused by the enemy in Afghanistan will be permanently removed from production by Fatima Group in Pakistan, I cannot in good conscience tell our soldiers and their families that this deal should move forward.”

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation informed Midwest Fertilizer Company of the State’s decision in a letter that can be found here.

Source: Office of Governor Mike Pence

EPD Activity Report: May 16, 2013

Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday, May 15, 2013.

Aaron Cook Criminal Mischief-Class D Felony
Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering a Person-Class A Misdemeanor
Operating a Vehicle with a Schedule I or II Controlled Substance or its Metabolite in the Body-Class C Misdemeanor

Luke Biggerstaff Theft-Class D Felony

Floyd Spears Possession of Methamphetamine-Class D Felony
Possession of Paraphernalia-Class A Misdemeanor

For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Kyle Phernetton at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at KPhernetton@vanderburghgov.org

Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

Evansville Police have completed their search of the home where a wanted suspect was arrested last night.
Police went to the home at 1408 S. Grand to arrest 33 year old John Cannon on charges that he held his ex-girlfriend and her 6 month old son in the home for 3 days against their will. During that time, they were not allowed to leave. The victim told investigators that Cannon beat her several times with his hands and also hit her with a metal baseball bat.
The victim said Cannon threatened to shoot her son if police came to the house looking for her. She also told police there was an AR-15 rifle in the basement of the house.
When the victim was allowed to leave, she went to a local ER for treatment and reported the incident to police.
When police arrived to arrest Cannon, he fled into the basement. His elderly mother was evacuated from the front room of the home and the SWAT Team surrounded the house. Police put tear gas into the home after Cannon refused to surrender or communicate with negotiators. After a 4 hour standoff, Cannon was overwhelmed by the tear gas and surrendered.
During the search, investigators removed weapons from the home. That included the AR-15 that the victim told officers was in the house. Multiple rounds of ammunition and several cans of black powder were also removed from the home. Investigators also found the bat believed to have been used to assault the victim.
Cannon was out of jail on bond on a separate criminal confinement case at the time of the latest crimes and standoff.
In February of 2012, Cannon was involved in a police chase that ended when he crashed his truck. When he was taken into custody, he was in possession of a stolen handgun. Cannon also had an AR-15 rifle on the driver’s seat that was loaded and had a round in the chamber and the safety switch was off. More rifles were found in the bed of the truck. During those events, Cannon said it would be “war” if police tried to arrest him.
Due to his previous actions and the information given to officers during the latest crimes, the SWAT Team was used to make the arrests. Cannon is in jail on the original confinement and battery charges and also faces resisting law enforcement charges.