Robert G. Stahl, attorney for Dias Kadyrbayev, speaks to reporters alongside Harlan J. Protass, attorney for Azamat Tazhayakov. Both were both arrested for aiding and abetting the Tsarnaev brothers after the Marathon bombings. (Getty)
Friends of alleged Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev have been indicted by a federal grand jury on obstruction of justice charges for allegedly destroying and hiding evidence from Tsarnaev’s dorm room.
Nineteen-year-olds Dias Kadyrbayev and Azamat Tazhayakov were charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstructing justice with the intent to impede the investigation of the Boston Marathon bombing, according to CBS Boston. Both are Kazakh nationals.
The indictment is reported to accuse the students of going into Tsarnaev’s dorm room at Southeastern Massachusetts-Dartmouth University and removing several items, including Tsarnaev’s laptop computer and a backpack containing fireworks. The boys brought the items into their own dorm room before disposing of them in a dumpster. It also says that they committed the crime after seeing Tsarnaev on the news.
Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov face up to 20 years in prison for the obstruction charge, and another five for conspiracy, according to Fox News. Their sentences would be followed up by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The boys also have a chance of being deportated.
