West Seneca Woman Charged with Threatening a Witness

    BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Haley Connor, 19, of West Seneca, N.Y., with retaliating against a witness, and witness tampering. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who is handling the case, stated that, according to the indictment, from early 2014 to March 8, 2014, the defendant threatened to cause bodily injury to a witness for information given by the witness to a law enforcement officer. The information related to Michael Mitchell’s involvement in bank robberies and bank larcenies. Mitchell is currently charged with committing three bank robberies.

“As has been said before, law enforcement takes a zero tolerance when it comes to threatening a witness,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “This defendant – while not accused of committing the underlying crime – now stands to serve as much time in prison of those who did, solely because of her attempt to subvert the criminal justice system.”

The indictment is the culmination of an investigation by the Federal bureau of Investigation.

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.