Flint Man Indicted on Perjury Charges Following His Testimony in Federal Court

A 25-year-old Flint man was arraigned on March 18 on a two-count indictment charging him with making false declarations before a court, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today.

McQuade was joined in the announcement by ATF Special Agent in Charge S. Robin Shoemaker. 

The indictment alleges that Dion A. Polk, II, testified falsely in the federal trial of Rashad J. Jones on January 20 in Flint.  Jones, a five-time felon, was on trial before U.S. District Judge Terrence G. Berg on charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition.  Polk falsely testified at the trial that he, not Jones, possessed the ammunition magazine recovered by the police on June 29, 2015.  Polk further falsely testified that the ammunition magazine pertained to a firearm that he owned and possessed on that same day. 

Additional evidence at trial, however, revealed that the firearm was owned by another individual at the time of the charged offense, and that Polk had purchased the firearm only recently, just weeks before the start of Jones’ trial. 

“Lying under oath is a serious offense because the justice system depends on truthful testimony,” McQuade said.  “Witnesses who commit perjury and obstruct justice will be prosecuted and held accountable for their crimes.” 

“ATF along with our state and local partners will aggressively investigate violent crimes to include those that falsify information to bring those accountable for violating the laws to justice,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge S. Robin Shoemaker.        

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed not guilty unless convicted at trial by a jury.

If convicted, Polk faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in federal prison for each count.

The case is being prosecuted by the Flint Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office with the assistance of special agents from the ATF.