NEWS RELEASE
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
Julia C. Dudley Acting United States Attorney Brian McGinn Public Affairs Specialist |
BB&T Building 310 1st Street, S.W., Room 906 Roanoke, Virginia 24011 (540) 857-2974 FAX (540) 857-2179 |
October 28, 2008
FORMER SPECIAL AGENT FOR U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE INDICTED
FOR OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley announced today that Kelly Andrew Holland, age 40, of Danville, Kentucky, was indicted by a federal Grand Jury sitting in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon on charges that he obstructed an official investigation.
Holland was charged in a one count indictment with obstruction of justice. If convicted of this count, the maximum penalty faced by the defendant is 20 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000.
“It is a sad day when we have to charge a member of the law enforcement community with a crime such as this one,” Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley said today. “We must be diligent in the prosecution of any individual that obstructs the administration of justice, no matter what office he or she holds.”
According to the indictment, between November 2005 and February 2008, while serving as a special agent with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Holland obstructed an official investigation by concealing a Marlin rifle, a bow and turkey beards that were obtained from a suspect.
The indictment charges that Holland sent a letter to an official of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in which the defendant falsely stated that he had returned the rifle and bow to the suspect, when in fact he had not.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Department of the Interior, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer is prosecuting the case for the United States.
A Grand Jury indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.