Northwest Indiana Discussion

Pot find takes bite out of "Mailman"




CROWN POINT | Prosecutors on Thursday charged political activist David Woerpel, a close ally of Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. and secretary to the Hammond park board, with two felony counts of allegedly growing marijuana in his backyard.

A Hammond precinct committeeman, Woerpel, 48, was charged along with his wife, Tina Woerpel, 45, and their sons, James Woerpel, 25, and Derrick Woerpel, 22, with possessing marijuana and maintaining a common nuisance after an aerial inspection by an Indiana State Police trooper disclosed several marijuana plants growing behind a backyard shed at the family's home on the 7400 block of Olcott Avenue.

Tina Woerpel is general foreman of the Hammond Recycling Department, now a part of the Hammond Sanitary District.

According to the charging documents, after identifying the site from the aerial photographs, Trooper Jason Sample on Sept. 1 drove to the Woerpels' home where he approached James Woerpel, who told the trooper his brother started to grow the plants after a party and everyone in the family knew about the plants. Sample contends he later spoke to David Woerpel, who allegedly told the trooper he knew about the marijuana plants, but the family wasn't running a drug cartel.

According to police authorities, arrest warrants were served on all four family members at their home Thursday in the presence of Woerpel's attorney, John Cantrell, a Hammond lawyer with close ties to McDermott.

When reached Friday, David Woerpel referred questions to Cantrell, who did not return a telephone call asking for comment.

Both Woerpel and McDermott denied rumors they were together at the Lost Marsh Golf Course at the time Woerpel was being sought by police.

Woerpel, a postal worker commonly known as "The Mailman" by followers of his essays for the former Calumet Press and a WJOB radio show hosted by Woerpel and Hammond city worker Steve Fowler, is a staunch supporter of the city's Democratic party.

During the 2007 primary season, a newly formed political action committee listing Woerpel as chairman and Scott Rakos, a Hammond fire battalion chief, as treasurer came under fire by City Council candidates who filed complaints with Lake County election officials regarding a mailing critical of At-Large Councilman Robert Markovich, a foe of Mayor McDermott.

Woerpel and Fowler later filed their own complaint with the election board, charging tax activist Jim Premeske, also a critic of the McDermott administration, with illegally voting in Hammond though residing in Schererville. The board later dismissed the charges against Premeske.

Times Staff Writer Bill Dolan contributed to this story.

Susan Brown - susan.brown@nwi.com, (

Where ya been, G Man? This subject has been talked to death in another thread on this board.

Just got off a two week spree!

You been over visiting at Mailman's house?

Far out.

Got to slow my partying having to much fun hey wait a minute too much fun is that logical?

I wonder about Hammond what quiet fallout is ongoing in the sell of property and businesses.

The nerve of some people living in another city than the city of ill-repute they are running

Hammond Indiana something stinks

What did one armpit say to the other?



You stink!