Federal Jury Convicts Defendant Of Witness Tampering By Threat Of Death

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury has found William Raymond Beach (40, Tampa) guilty of tampering with a federal witness by threat of death. Beach faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 1, 2019.

Beach was indicted on June 21, 2018.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Beach tampered with a key witness in a federal investigation and prosecution involving a fentanyl overdose death. After Beach was told that the witness had met with “a federal attorney” and was a witness in the case, Beach informed the witness that, if the witness continued to assist the United States, he would shoot and kill the witness. In other conversations, Beach described a desire to shoot a law enforcement officer and then flee to another state, and to commit other acts of violence, including violence directed at the witness.      

This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo.