Inmate Gets 30 Years for Ordering Hit
Inmates Who Carried Out Assault Also Get Prison Time
| U.S. Attorney's Office May 25, 2011 |
PHOENIX—Augustine Bernal Thomas, 39, of Phoenix, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton to 30 years in prison. Thomas was found guilty by a federal jury on February 16, 2011 of conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice by retaliating against a witness and obstruction of justice by retaliating against a witness.
The evidence at trial showed that Thomas, who was an inmate at a federal facility awaiting sentencing for murder, learned that the victim had testified in a trial and ordered two other inmates to assault the victim. The other inmates then assaulted the victim as ordered by Thomas. The other inmates, Cruz Mario Gonzales, 23, of Sells, Ariz., and Waylon Pete Thompson, 30, of Phoenix, were sentenced to 48 months and 71 months, respectively.
Thomas had previously been convicted of multiple crimes of violence, including murder. Judge Bolton ordered him to serve his 30-year sentence in this case after he serves his 20-year sentence in the murder case.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Alison S. Bachus, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-10-927-PHX-SRBRELEASE NUMBER: 2011-100(Thomas)