Two Men Sentenced to Multiple Years in Federal Prison for Tampering with Witnesses

Two Tulsa men were sentenced to federal prison last week for tampering with witnesses who were slated to testify in federal court proceedings, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

On October 25, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Derius Donovan Ledet, 33, to 84 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. Judge Arias-Marxuach also sentenced Ledet’s co-defendant,
Ulysses Semion Washington, 35, to 108 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release on October 26, 2023.

“The integrity of our justice system is of the utmost importance. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate any act that seeks to obstruct the federal court process,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

According to court documents, on March 23, 2022, Ledet, who was being held on federal charges, called Washington several times. Ledet instructed Washington to, “put in some footwork” to prevent two witnesses from communicating with law enforcement about the case and to prevent their testimony in court proceedings. Ledet futher told Washington to pay off the witnesses with money obtained from selling one of Ledet’s cars.

Washington offered the witnesses money to write affidavits that they would not cooperate in Ledet’s pending case. Both witnesses were subpoenaed to make appearances in federal proceedings, but neither showed.

Ledet pled guilty for his role in the witness tampering in July of 2022 and Washington elected to proceed to trial. Prior to trial, Washington continued his attempts to contact one of the witnesses involved in attempt to persuade them to not show. Washington entered a plea to witness tampering on the first day of trial.

Ledet and Washington will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish prosecuted the case.