York County Man Indicted on Charge of Illegally Possessing Body Armor
| U.S. Attorney’s Office November 17, 2010 |
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today the filing of an indictment charging Michael Wayne Cook, 43, of Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, with illegally possessing body armor.
According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, prosecutors allege that in March of 2007, Cook purchased a ballistic vest at a gun show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Due to prior convictions for making terroristic threats and destroying property, Cook is prohibited by federal law from owning body armor.
If convicted, Cook faces up to five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation. Prosecution has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Wesley P. Page.
An Indictment or Information is not evidence of guilt but simply a description of the charge made by the Grand Jury and/or United States Attorney against a defendant. A charged Defendant is presumed innocent until a jury returns a unanimous finding that the United States has proven the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or until the defendant has pled guilty to the charges.