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| Tweeting from the slammer: Alleged drug dealer, on trial, sends shout-outs from D.C. jail |
| By washingtonpost.com - Del Quentin Wilber |
| Published: 03/19/2012 |
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Even an alleged drug dealer on trial in federal court cannot resist promoting himself on Twitter or Facebook. In tweets and Facebook postings from a smartphone apparently smuggled into the D.C. jail, the accused drug kingpin has regularly updated friends and followers about his life and times, opining about his “beef” with the government and engaging in 140-character conversations filled with slang and expletives about life on the street and behind bars. But authorities, who have been monitoring his online musings for weeks, say they are concerned that Mark Pray might have more nefarious motives in mind — like trying to influence his high-stakes trial in the District’s federal court. Last month, court papers show, Pray posted an update on his Facebook page and in his Twitter feed about the upcoming testimony of a witness, nicknamed “Hag,” whom Pray contended was going to “sell his soul” on the witness stand. Federal authorities said in court papers that the comments — available for the world to see — were intended to urge associates to attend the trial and “to intimidate” the witness. When the man finally testified, Pray took to Facebook again, telling his friends that the witness “looked like Chucky Cheese on the stand today! (A Big Rat).” “I can’t stand ratsssssssss,” a friend replied. Pray’s use of social media was disclosed in an affidavit by U.S. Park Police Detective William Sepeck this week seeking permission from a federal judge to search Pray’s jail cell for contraband, including mobile phones. The D.C. jail bans such devices and regularly conducts sweeps for them, officials said. Though no mobile devices were found in the search on Tuesday, authorities recovered what they described as an incriminating note from a co-defendant that prosecutors would like permission to introduce at trial. Last week, prosecutors presented at least one of Pray’s Facebook posts — about the witness — to jurors. Read More. |
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