Meridian man sentenced in federal court for attempted witness tampering

JACKSON, Miss. (WTOK) - A Meridian man was sentenced in federal court this week to 14 years in prison on his conviction for attempted witness tampering.

Daniel Robert, 46, was found guilty by a jury in July 2022. The FBI investigated the case against Robert, who was arrested in 2018 on an outstanding warrant in a narcotics trafficking case that spanned multiple states from 2007 through 2009. Robert eluded capture from 2009 until June 2018.

The government said after he was caught in 2018, Robert made numerous phone calls to several family members directing them, and others, to contact witnesses who were expected to testify against him and to tell the witnesses not to appear for trial by avoiding subpoenas or testify that they could not remember facts of the case, or to simply refuse to testify. Robert’s instructions included specific directions concerning the writing of a false affidavit he intended, and directed, to be signed by one of the witnesses.

In January 2020, Robert was convicted of narcotics trafficking charges following a three-day trial. He was already serving a sentence of 330 months for those narcotics trafficking convictions. Nine years of the witness tampering sentence will run concurrent with the current sentence of 330 months, and 5 years of the witness tampering sentence will run consecutive to the 330 month sentence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Robert’s witness tampering resulted in an additional 5 years to serve in prison.

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