FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               CONTACT:  DAVILYN WALSTON
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2009                                                    PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/txe                         PHONE: (409) 839-2538 CELL: (409) 553-9881
                                                                                                    

LAMAR GRADUATE STUDENT GUILTY OF THREATENING GRADUATION

            BEAUMONT, TX – U.S. Attorney Rebecca A. Gregory announced today that a 34-year-old Lamar University graduate student has pleaded guilty to sending threatening communications in the Eastern District of Texas.

            DANIEL OGWOKA SIRINGI, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to transmitting threatening communications today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Giblin. 

            According to information presented in court, on Dec. 11, 2008, Siringi sent a threatening email to the President of Lamar University threatening to harm and injure individuals of Lamar University by means of a "Virginia case" type of assault if Lamar University did not allow students who had received notice they would not graduate, to graduate.  Siringi was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 8, 2009.

            Siringi faces up to 5 years in federal prison at sentencing.  A sentencing date has not been set.

            This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lamar University Police Department, the Beaumont Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and Crime Lab, the Port Arthur Police Department, the City of Orange Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy L. Fluke and Brit Featherston. 

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