WAYNESBORO MAN SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS FOR THREATENING A WITNESS IN UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

(Richmond, VA) – Barry L. West, Sr., age 45, of Waynesboro, Virginia, was sentenced today for threatening a subpoenaed witness in federal court. West was sentenced by United States District Chief Judge James R. Spencer to 36 months in prison for tampering with a witness in violation of federal law. Following his incarceration, West will be placed on supervised release for a term of three years. The sentence was announced by Chuck Rosenberg, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Guy Cottrell, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Washington Field Division.

A jury convicted West of witness tampering following a two day jury trial concluding on June 14, 2007. West was arrested in April 2007 when he appeared as a spectator to observe the jury trial of his sister, Letrista L. West, on federal charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to the evidence presented at trial, Barry West encountered a witness subpoenaed to testify for the United States in the hallway outside the courtroom. Mr. West verbally threatened the witness with physical harm. In addition, Mr. West made a throat-cutting gesture directed at the witness after the two were separated by court security officers.

Chief Judge Spencer made the following statement when imposing the sentence today: “We are talking about something that happened in the halls of the United States District Court. And this building, in these trials that we have, and the participants in the trials, will be respected
within the doors of this courthouse.”

The United States Inspection Postal Service investigated this case and it was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Colombell Marshall.

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