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Witness Retaliation Lands Minnesota Woman Behind Bars for 121 Months
In a shocking case of retaliation, Veronique Zsa zsa Antique Muckle, a 23-year-old inmate, has been sentenced to 121 months in prison for assaulting another inmate who testified against a drug trafficker in a federal trial.
On July 23, 2013, United States District Court Judge David S. Doty handed down the sentence to Muckle, who was convicted of federal witness retaliation on April 12, 2013. Muckle was initially indicted on September 11, 2012 for her role in the crime.
The assault took place on August 14, 2012, when Muckle violently attacked Angelique Michelle Vos, who had testified against Lawrence Lalonde Colton in a narcotics trial. Muckle, who was already serving a 52-month sentence for her participation in a large-scale drug-trafficking organization, was awaiting placement in the federal prison system at the time of the attack.
The organization, which transported prescription pills and heroin from Detroit to the Twin Ports region in Minnesota, was brought down in September 2011 following an investigation by the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Over three dozen individuals, including Muckle and Vos, pleaded guilty to their roles in the operation.
The case was the result of a joint investigation by the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Duluth Police Department, and the ATF. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen A. Slaughter and Amber M. Brennan.
Muckle’s sentence is a stark reminder of the consequences of retaliating against those who cooperate with law enforcement. As the investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate, the justice system will not tolerate such behavior and will hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.
Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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