PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Charles Salley, a/k/a “Dark Lo," a/k/a “Ron Harvey," 37, of Clayton, Delaware, was charged by Indictment with witness tampering.
The Indictment alleges that on November 6, 2019, during the trial United States vs. Abdul West, et al. involving members of a violent drug trafficking organization known as “Original Block Hustlaz" (or OBH), a cooperating witness received a threatening letter from Salley under the pen name “Ron Harvey," a pseudonym Salley has used in various rap songs. The Indictment further alleges that Salley, who also goes by the stage name “Dark Lo," threatened physical violence against the cooperating witness and others if the witness testified at trial against Salley’s OBH associates.
On Nov. 13, 2019, United States Magistrate Judge Lynne A. Sitarski ordered Salley detained in federal custody pending trial in this matter.
“Witness intimidation has no place in the criminal justice system and will be dealt with swiftly and harshly," said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “This is not a game. If you attempt to intimidate a federal witness, you can stand by for the consequences."
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Ashenfelter.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
