Bribery Scheme In MD Lands Former Fairfax Man In Federal Prison

GREENBELT, MD — Jolen Michael Ghorbani, aka "Jay," a 28-year-old former Fairfax resident, was sentenced Friday to 18 months in federal provision and three years of supervised release for bribery of a witness in connection with a federal criminal trial, according to a release.

On Feb. 3, 2021, Ghorbani was the victim of a kidnapping, assault, and robbery committed by Tray David Sherman and his co-conspirators, according to Ghorbani's plea agreement. On March 31, 2021, Sherman was indicted and arrested for conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Ghorbani received a subpoena two weeks later requiring him to give testimony at Sherman's trail, originally scheduled to start on July 11, 2022.

On June 5, 2022 sent threatening and intimidating direct messages to Sherman over social media. In one of the messages, Ghorbani sent his phone number, saying "[C]all me If you want to finesse trial," according to court documents.

Three weeks before Sherman's trial, Ghorbani sent additional social media messages, soliciting $5,000 from Sherman in exchange for him testifying falsely or refusing to testify in the trial, according to court documents. Ghorbani also shared messages he'd sent to Sherman with another person, bragging that he and Sherman were "[d]ancing with the devil” and that he was "auctioning off" Sherman's freedom.

Sherman and the other defendants involved in the kidnapping conspiracy all pleaded guilty to luring Ghorbani from a Maryland casino to Southeast, Washington, D.C. Once there, they threatened Ghorbani at gunpoint while Sherman and an other co-conspirator went to steal items from the victim's hotel room at the casino. The five defendants received sentences from 10 to 14 years in federal prison for their roles in the kidnapping and robbery.