Owyhee, Nev. — An Owyhee man was sentenced Thursday to time served and three years of supervised release after being convicted of tampering with a witness, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
United States District Judge Anne R. Traum imposed the sentence despite a recommendation from federal prosecutors seeking 18 months in prison. The conviction stemmed from a four-day jury trial held in November.
Court documents show that between March 16 and March 22, 2025, the defendant attempted to persuade a victim not to testify against him in a federal proceeding. Prosecutors argued that the conduct amounted to witness tampering, a serious federal offense that undermines the integrity of the judicial process.
Following the verdict, the case proceeded to sentencing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. While the government urged the court to impose a custodial sentence, Judge Traum ultimately sentenced the man to time already served, followed by three years of supervised release.
The court did not publicly detail its reasoning for the downward departure from the government’s recommendation. First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada announced the sentence on behalf of the Department of Justice.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, with assistance from the Owyhee Tribal Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Federal authorities say the coordinated effort was critical in gathering evidence and securing the conviction.
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