Georgia Inmate Indicted for Instructing Criminal Defendants to Lie to Federal Authorities
ATLANTA—SANDEO DYSON, 47, of Gainesville, Georgia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury and was arraigned this morning on charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and false statements. United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “This defendant is charged with selling information to other criminal defendants and instructing those defendants to falsely represent to the United States Attorney's Office that they had personal knowledge of the information. This defendant was attempting to obstruct justice for a profit.” Brian D Lamkin, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Division, said, “The integrity of the criminal justice process is paramount and any efforts to interfere with that process by systematically introducing erroneous and false information will be dealt with swiftly. Mr Dyson's conduct, as alleged in the indictment, has landed him back in the defendant's chair and, as such, should serve as an example to others who would attempt similar such conduct.” According to United States Attorney Yates, the indictment and other information presented in court: DYSON, while housed at the Atlanta City Detention Center (“ACDC”) in Atlanta, Georgia, from February 20, 2008, through June 1, 2010, obtained information about crimes being committed in Georgia and North Carolina from various sources, including other inmates.
DYSON then “sold” the information to other criminal defendants in cases before the Northern District of Georgia, who were housed at ACDC and the Robert A Deyton Detention Facility in Lovejoy, Georgia. The indictment alleges that at least four criminal defendants purchased the information from DYSON in “packages” priced from five to ten thousand dollars each, for a total of fifty thousand dollars. In connection with the purchases, DYSON instructed his customer/inmates to offer up the information to the United States Attorney’s Office in order to potentially have their sentences reduced based on their cooperation. DYSON specifically told these criminal defendants to lie to the United States Attorney’s Office by concealing the fact that they had no real personal knowledge of the proffered information, and had actually “purchased” the information from DYSON. According to the indictment, DYSON arranged for his customers to purchase the information “packages” by directing their family and friends to make payments into the bank accounts of other federal inmates’ relatives and friends.
These individuals transferred the proceeds of the information “packages” to DYSON, the other federal inmates, and their associates. The indictment charges one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice and to make false statements, three counts of obstruction of justice, and two counts of false statements. The charges carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentence, the court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Shanya Dingle and Mary Jane Stewart are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact Sally Q Yates, United States Attorney, or Charysse L Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, United States Attorney's Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.
Reported by: FBI
Published on: 2011-01-08
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