NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

DISTRICT OF KANSAS

Eric Melgren

August 13, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONSPIRING TO TAMPER WITH WITNESSES SENDS TWO TOPEKA MEN TO FEDERAL PRISON

          TOPEKA, KAN. – Bryan Keith Carter, 27, Topeka, Kan., and Michael Lee Robinson, 29, Topeka, Kan., were sentenced to federal prison for tampering with witnesses, U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren announced Wednesday

          In March, Carter and Robinson both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to tamper with federal witnesses. On Tuesday, Carter was sentenced to 41 months and Robinson was sentenced to 21 months.

          In their pleas, both men admitted that in June 2007 they attempted to cause three witnesses to withhold testimony in a federal investigation. At the time, the Topeka Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were investigating whether Robinson and Carter had possessed firearms in spite of being prohibited from doing so because of prior felony convictions.

          On June 10, 2007, for instance, Robinson took two of the witnesses to a residence in Topeka where they received a call from Carter telling them what to do before speaking to ATF investigators. In a call on June 12, Robinson told Carter one of the witnesses had assured him she was “not a snitch.” Carter ordered Robinson to recruit another man who would make sure the witnesses didn’t tell investigators anything incriminating.

          Melgren commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Topeka Police Department, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hendershot for their work on the case.

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