Latest news with #obstructionOfJustice
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Former DC police officer sentenced to 18 months for lying about leaking info to Proud Boys leader
A retired police officer was sentenced on Friday to serve 18 months behind bars for lying to authorities about leaking confidential information to the Proud Boys extremist group's former top leader, who was under investigation for burning a Black Lives Matter banner in the nation's capital. Shane Lamond was a lieutenant for the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., when he fed information about its banner burning investigation to then-Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio. Last December, after a trial without a jury, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson in Washington, D.C., convicted Lamond of one count of obstructing justice and three counts of making false statements. Tarrio attended Lamond's sentencing and later called for Trump to pardon Lamond. 'I ask that the Justice Department and the President of the United States step in and correct the injustice that I just witnessed inside this courtroom," Tarrio said outside the courthouse after the sentencing. Prosecutors recommended a four-year prison sentence for Lamond. 'Because Lamond knew what he did was wrong, he lied to cover it up — not just to the Federal Agents who questioned his actions, but to this Court," they wrote. "This is an egregious obstruction of justice and a betrayal of the work of his colleagues at MPD.' Lamond's lawyers argued that a prison sentence isn't warranted. "Mr. Lamond gained nothing from his communications with Mr. Tarrio and only sought, albeit in a sloppy and ineffective way, to gain information and intelligence that would help stop the violent protesters coming to D.C. in late 2020, early 2021," they wrote. Tarrio pleaded guilty to burning the banner stolen from a historic Black church in downtown Washington in December 2020. He was arrested two days before dozens of Proud Boys members stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Tarrio wasn't at the Capitol that day, but a jury convicted him of orchestrating a violent plot to keep President Donald Trump in the White House after he lost the 2020 election. Lamond testified at his bench trial that he never provided Tarrio with sensitive police information. Tarrio, who testified as a witness for Lamond's defense, said he did not confess to Lamond about burning the banner and did not receive any confidential information from him. But the judge did not find either man's testimony to be credible. Jackson said the evidence indicated that Lamond was not using Tarrio as a source after the Dec. 12, 2020, banner burning. 'It was the other way around,' she said. Lamond, of Colonial Beach, Virginia, retired in May 2023 after 23 years of service to the police department. Lamond, who met Tarrio in 2019, had supervised the intelligence branch of the police department's Homeland Security Bureau. He was responsible for monitoring groups like the Proud Boys when they came to Washington. Prosecutors said Lamond tipped off Tarrio that a warrant for his arrest had been signed. They pointed to messages that suggest Lamond provided Tarrio with real-time updates on the police investigation. Lamond's indictment says he and Tarrio exchanged messages about the Jan. 6 riot and discussed whether Proud Boys members were in danger of being charged in the attack. 'Of course I can't say it officially, but personally I support you all and don't want to see your group's name and reputation dragged through the mud,' Lamond wrote. Lamond said he was upset that a prosecutor labeled him as a Proud Boys 'sympathizer' who acted as a 'double agent' for the group after Tarrio burned a stolen Black Lives Matter banner in December 2020. 'I don't support the Proud Boys, and I'm not a Proud Boys sympathizer,' Lamond testified. Lamond said he considered Tarrio to be a source, not a friend. But he said he tried to build a friendly rapport with the group leader to gain his trust. ___
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Former DC police officer sentenced to 18 months for lying about leaking info to Proud Boys leader
WASHINGTON (AP) — A retired police officer was sentenced on Friday to serve 18 months behind bars for lying to authorities about leaking confidential information to the Proud Boys extremist group's former top leader, who was under investigation for burning a Black Lives Matter banner in the nation's capital. Shane Lamond was a lieutenant for the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., when he fed information about its banner burning investigation to then-Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio. Last December, after a trial without a jury, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson in Washington, D.C., convicted Lamond of one count of obstructing justice and three counts of making false statements. Tarrio attended Lamond's sentencing and later called for Trump to pardon Lamond. 'I ask that the Justice Department and the President of the United States step in and correct the injustice that I just witnessed inside this courtroom,' Tarrio said outside the courthouse after the sentencing. Prosecutors recommended a four-year prison sentence for Lamond. 'Because Lamond knew what he did was wrong, he lied to cover it up — not just to the Federal Agents who questioned his actions, but to this Court,' they wrote . 'This is an egregious obstruction of justice and a betrayal of the work of his colleagues at MPD.' Lamond's lawyers argued that a prison sentence isn't warranted. 'Mr. Lamond gained nothing from his communications with Mr. Tarrio and only sought, albeit in a sloppy and ineffective way, to gain information and intelligence that would help stop the violent protesters coming to D.C. in late 2020, early 2021,' they wrote . Tarrio pleaded guilty to burning the banner stolen from a historic Black church in downtown Washington in December 2020. He was arrested two days before dozens of Proud Boys members stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Tarrio wasn't at the Capitol that day, but a jury convicted him of orchestrating a violent plot to keep President Donald Trump in the White House after he lost the 2020 election. Lamond testified at his bench trial that he never provided Tarrio with sensitive police information. Tarrio, who testified as a witness for Lamond's defense, said he did not confess to Lamond about burning the banner and did not receive any confidential information from him. But the judge did not find either man's testimony to be credible. Jackson said the evidence indicated that Lamond was not using Tarrio as a source after the Dec. 12, 2020, banner burning. 'It was the other way around,' she said. Lamond, of Colonial Beach, Virginia, retired in May 2023 after 23 years of service to the police department. Lamond, who met Tarrio in 2019, had supervised the intelligence branch of the police department's Homeland Security Bureau. He was responsible for monitoring groups like the Proud Boys when they came to Washington. Prosecutors said Lamond tipped off Tarrio that a warrant for his arrest had been signed. They pointed to messages that suggest Lamond provided Tarrio with real-time updates on the police investigation. Lamond's indictment says he and Tarrio exchanged messages about the Jan. 6 riot and discussed whether Proud Boys members were in danger of being charged in the attack. 'Of course I can't say it officially, but personally I support you all and don't want to see your group's name and reputation dragged through the mud,' Lamond wrote. Lamond said he was upset that a prosecutor labeled him as a Proud Boys 'sympathizer' who acted as a 'double agent' for the group after Tarrio burned a stolen Black Lives Matter banner in December 2020. 'I don't support the Proud Boys, and I'm not a Proud Boys sympathizer,' Lamond testified. Lamond said he considered Tarrio to be a source, not a friend. But he said he tried to build a friendly rapport with the group leader to gain his trust. ___
CBC
26-05-2025
- CBC
Obstruction, breach of trust trial for Thunder Bay police officer starts today
A Thunder Bay Police Service officer is facing his third criminal trial of the year on Monday. Staff Sgt. Michael Dimini will face trial on obstruction of justice and breach of trust charges. The charges are in connection to his duties as a police officer. The alleged offences both occurred on November 24, 2020, according to court documents obtained by CBC. The charges have not yet been tested in court. Dimini was originally charged in December 2023 following a nearly two-year Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) investigation. He was originally charged with two counts of assault, breach of trust and obstruction of justice. In February, the Ontario Court of Justice dismissed one charge of assault against him after a four-day trial. The charge stemmed from an incident that allegedly occurred in Thunder Bay in August 2014. Earlier this month, a judge acquitted Dimini of a second assault charge related to an alleged incident in October 2016. Dimini was released from custody after being charged. While awaiting trial, he's been suspended with pay from the Thunder Bay Police Service, as per the Police Services Act. His release was conditional upon not possessing any weapons or firearms, and refraining from contacting 85 different people. Alleged misconduct by Dimini was also laid out in human rights complaints filed to the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Multiple other people are also facing charges after the 2021 OPP investigation into allegations of misconduct at the Thunder Bay Police Service. Former police chief Sylvie Hauth and ex-Thunder Bay police lawyer Holly Walbourne were charged with multiple obstruction and breach of trust offences for allegedly "practising deception" in interactions with the Thunder Bay police board. Their cases are scheduled to be heard in Superior Court in November 2025. Another Thunder Bay police officer is also facing breach of trust charges in an unrelated alleged incident. Const. Peter Ritchie allegedly stole property in July 2024. He was arrested in October 2024 on theft and breach of trust charges. Ritchie is due back in court in June.
Fox News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Milwaukee judge indicted for helping immigrant evade ICE faces up to 6 years in prison
A Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge arrested in April for allegedly helping a man evade immigration officers in her court could face up to six years in prison if convicted, according to an indictment handed down Tuesday by a federal grand jury. Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by FBI officials last month for allegedly "knowingly" helping an undocumented immigrant in her court evade ICE authorities and telling the officers in her court that they needed a warrant. On Tuesday, she was indicted by a grand jury on federal charges of concealing a person from arrest and on obstruction of justice charges, under 18 U.S.C. Section 1505 and 18 U.S.C. Section 1071, respectively. The indictment accuses Dugan of "falsely" telling federal officials in April that they needed a warrant to come into her court during a scheduled appearance by Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented Mexican national who was in court on three misdemeanor battery charges. Dugan told the officers to proceed to the chief judge's office to obtain a warrant, according to the criminal complaint, and she then escorted Flores-Ruiz through a side door to evade federal agents. If found guilty of both charges, Dugan could face up to six years in prison and up to $350,000 in fines. She will appear in court on Thursday and is expected to enter a plea of not guilty, as indicated by a statement from her legal team on Tuesday. "Judge Hannah C. Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law and the principles of due process for her entire career as a lawyer and a judge," her lawyers said, adding that their client further "asserts her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court." Dugan's arrest and criminal charges have become a political lightning rod at a time when the Trump administration has moved to take sweeping actions to crack down on its immigration enforcement priorities. Her actions, while controversial, have also attracted an all-star legal defense team to argue in court on her behalf. Last month, her defense team tapped former Bush-era solicitor general Paul Clemente to represent her. Clemente, who was also on Trump's short list of Supreme Court nominees during his first term, is a well-respected litigator who has argued more than 100 cases before the Supreme Court. He is also not the only Bush-era powerhouse representing her in court. Steve Biskupic, a former U.S. attorney and a George W. Bush appointee, was tapped last month to head up the team, as first reported by Others include Craig Mastantuono of Mastantuono Coffee & Thomas and Jason Luczak and Nicole Masnica of Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown. Still, Dugan's actions have also sparked fierce backlash from Trump administration officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who have vowed to hold her accountable for her actions. "She will be held accountable for that," Noem told Fox News in an interview Tuesday night. "That was a great decision, coming forward, to recognize that nobody can facilitate breaking the law. "We shouldn't be able to allow that in this country, and we need to make sure that even judges are held accountable for their actions," she added.
