After first being told “no” when he asked a witness to testify in his behalf in an assault case, Michael Louis Ross went back the next day and offered the would-be witness $20, according to a county prosecutor. For those
After first being told “no” when he asked a witness to testify in his behalf in an assault case, Michael Louis Ross went back the next day and offered the would-be witness $20, according to a county prosecutor.
For those actions, he was charged with misdemeanor tampering with a witness, and felony bribery of a witness.
Prosecutor Russell Goo agreed to drop the tampering charge if Ross pled guilty to the bribery charge, and he did, and was judged guilty on that charge recently by Fifth Circuit Court Judge Clifford Nakea.
He will be sentenced June 27.
Alfred B. Castillo, attorney for Ross, said his client has already admitted to and been sentenced for the assault charge.
In another case, Shayne Rivera pled guilty to a felony assault charge, and will be sentenced July 2. According to Goo, Rivera had an argument with his girlfriend at the time, last summer, and punched her in the eye with a closed fist.
The blow caused an orbital fracture and laceration, said Goo. Rivera was originally charged with assault and abuse of a household member, but the prosecution agreed to dismiss the abuse charge in favor of the guilty plea on the assault count.
The assault charge can carry up to a five-year jail term and $10,000 fine, but Goo agreed with public defender James Itamura that probation and a 30-day jail term are acceptable if Rivera qualifies.
