Local man charged with witness intimidation
LAUREN REICHENBACH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 8 months AGO
I’ve spent most of my life in northeastern Washington and graduated from Eastern Washington University in 2021. After that, I spent roughly two years working for a small online newspaper in North Seattle before realizing big city living wasn’t for me. Me and my pup, Kodak, headed east, where we eventually landed in Sandpoint. When I’m not writing, you can find me spending time exercising and taking photos. I ran two half marathons in high school and after spending the past few years recovering from various injuries, I’m hoping to complete my first full marathon by the end of the year. I also love any outdoor activity, none of which would be complete without my dog. Kodak and I love going for walks and hikes, and I can’t wait to try to convince him to get in my kayak and spend the hot months of the year on Lake Pend Oreille. While he’s not a fan of baths, he sure does love chasing the ducks. | May 26, 2023 1:00 AM
A Bonner County man who was arrested May 4 on a host of charges including robbery and aggravated assault, now faces an additional felony charge after police said he attempted to intimidate a witness.
Billy Miller, 18, remains jailed on charges that he allegedly attacked a minor and robbed him of his clothing before leaving him on the roadside in Sagle in nothing but his underwear. When questioned by police, court records allege Miller claimed he was home the whole day after getting off work. However, the alleged victim as well as another witness identified Miller at the scene, giving police enough cause to arrest him, according to court records.
A few days later on May 8, Miller made a call from the jail to his family. During this call, which was recorded per jail policy, Miller allegedly asked one of his brothers to convince his other brother to persuade the alleged victim to not press charges, according to court records.
“Let him know to not press charges,” Miller allegedly told his brother over the phone, court records said. “Don’t mention this to anyone else; I could get in trouble.”
Miller’s brothers were questioned and both denied having any contact with the witness, according to the probable cause affidavit. Police followed up with the alleged victim, court records indicate, who also said he has not been contacted by anyone in the family.
Both brothers were instructed by law enforcement to not contact the alleged victim in any way. If it is discovered that they have reached out, police advised them that they both will be arrested for felony conspiracy as well as felony witness intimidation, according to court records.
Miller was questioned by police and while he originally denied having intimidated anyone, he did admit to asking his brothers to ask the alleged victim to not press charges. According to Idaho State Law, witness intimidation is “any person who, by direct or indirect force … wilfully intimidates, influences, impedes, deters, threatens, harasses, obstructs or prevents a witness … in any civil proceeding from testifying freely, fully and truthfully in that civil proceeding.”
Because of this, Miller was charged with felony attempt to intimidate a witness. The preliminary hearing for this charge is set for May 31.
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