Buffalo Woman Indicted for Concealing a Person from Arrest

BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury in Buffalo has returned a one count indictment charging Amber Pawlak, 21, of Buffalo, N.Y., with concealing a person from arrest. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross, who is handling the case, stated that in January 2013, law enforcement officers were attempting to locate defendant Clifton Jackson in order to execute a federal arrest warrant. According to the indictment, on three occasions, Pawlak denied knowing the whereabouts of Clifton Jackson when in fact she did have contact with the defendant.

In April 2013, Clifton Jackson was charged in a 66-count indictment with  conspiracy to unlawfully use Social Security numbers, filing of false tax returns in 2011, and aggravated identity theft. 

The indictment is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of  Special Agent- in-Charge Toni M. Weirauch, and the United States Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Kevin Niland, Inspector in Charge, Boston Division.

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.