US Attorney

An initial appearance and arraignment is scheduled for Prince George’s County Councilwoman Leslie Johnson, age 59, of Mitchellville, Maryalnd, on May 4th at 11:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte, Courtroom 4C, U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland. Mrs. Johnson is charged with conspiracy to commit witness and evidence tampering in connection with a federal investigation that resulted in the execution of a search warrant at her home on November 12, 2010. The criminal information alleges: that after receiving instrcutions from a co-conspirator, Leslie Johnson refused to open the door to FBI and IRS-CI agents who were attempting to execute the federal search warrant; that Leslie Johnson destroyed a $100,000 check from a developer that had been given to her co-conspirator; and that Leslie Johnson hid $79,600 in cash that was hidden in her home, in order to prevent the evidence from being used in the ongoing investigation and any subsequent criminal proceedings. If convicted, Leslie Johnson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy. A criminal information is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal information is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.