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Press Release

Buffalo Man Charged With Obstruction

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a two-count indictment charging Jeffrey Mills, 48, of Buffalo, NY, with obstructing justice. The charge carries a maximum of life in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, on February 14, 2016, the defendant was called as a witness for the Government in the trial of United States v. Eldridge, et al. Prior to his testimony, Mills provided federal agents with detailed information regarding two unsolved murders. The defendants in United States v. Eldridge, et al. were charged with those murders. When called by the prosecution at trial, Mills at first refused to be sworn.  After being advised by the Honorable Judge Richard Arcara, Senior U.S. District Judge, that he could face contempt proceedings if he refused to testify, Mills took the stand only to testify that he could not remember any details of the murders about which he previously provided detailed information. While convicting the defendants who were on trial of certain crimes, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on those counts pertaining to the murders.

Mills was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer, and is being held pending a detention hearing on April 25, 2017.

The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Buffalo Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen; and the New York State Department of Parole, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

Updated April 25, 2017