Wise County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Making False Statements

Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A Wise County woman, who was previously convicted of making false statements in a matter within the jurisdiction of the federal government, namely an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, was sentenced yesterday in the United States District Court for the Western District in Abingdon, United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.

Tina Sartin, 38, was sentenced yesterday to 18 months in prison. She previously pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements in a matter within the jurisdiction of the federal government, namely an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.   

According to evidence presented at the sentencing and guilty plea hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Sartin provided false information to agents with the ATF in connection to an investigation involving Michael Todd Lintz, the City of Norton’s former Parks & Recreation Maintenance Supervisor, who was previously convicted of civil rights and perjury violations.  Sartin provided the agents with fabricated text messages and falsely stated that she had been threatened in connection with her cooperation with the ATF. 

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, the Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee prosecuted the case for the United States.