FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2005 WWW.USDOJ.GOV CRM (202) 514-2008 TDD (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Assistant Attorney General Christopher A. Wray of the Criminal Division announced today that a St. Louis-area man has had an additional five years in prison added to an earlier sentence for assaulting an Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted his case.
Qusai Mahasin, 25, of St. Louis City, Missouri, was sentenced to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles A. Shaw, at federal court in St. Louis. Mahasin was convicted at trial on Oct. 28, 2004 of forcibly assaulting Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Mehan, who was prosecuting an attempted murder and drug case against Mahasin.
On Dec. 13, 2002, Mahasin was found guilty of one felony count of possession with the intent to distribute heroin, one felony count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, one felony count of attempting to kill another person with intent to prevent the attendance or testimony in an official proceeding, and one felony count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. After the verdict was announced in front of the jury, the defendant attacked Mehan. Mahasin was sentenced in February 2003 to 51 years in prison on the attempted murder and drug convictions.
Todays sentencing is in addition to the previous sentence of February 2003, and must be served consecutively to that sentence. Therefore, Mahasin now will serve a total of 56 years in prison.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri was recused from the Mahasin assault case, which was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gregg Sofer of the Criminal Division. 05-051
Source: US Department of Justice
