Seattle – An worker on the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Federal Detention Heart (FDC) at SeaTac, Washington, was sentenced right now in U.S. District Court docket in Seattle for 2 federal felonies associated to his conduct exterior of his employment, introduced U.S. Legal professional Nick Brown. Joshua Adam Shuemake, 37, was sentenced to 1 yr and in the future in jail for unlawful firearm possession, and obstruction of justice. Shuemake was convicted in September 2022 following a four-day jury trial. At right now’s sentencing listening to U.S. District Choose Richard A. Jones mentioned the sufferer of Shumake’s conduct was the justice system. “It’s not simply the unlawful possession of a firearm, it’s that you simply selected to disregard a choose’s order and also you inspired individuals lie… You may’t have a firearm and may’t come to courtroom and lie,” Choose Jones mentioned.
“Mr. Shuemake made relentless and deliberate efforts to undermine the administration of justice,” mentioned U.S. Legal professional Nick Brown. “He lied in King County courtroom, to federal investigators, and to his employer. Mr. Shuemake inspired witnesses to lie underneath oath in federal proceedings. Such conduct by a federal regulation enforcement officer is especially egregious.”
In keeping with data filed within the case and testimony at trial, following a home violence incident in April 2021, a King County choose barred Shuemake from possessing harmful weapons, together with firearms, and ordered him to give up all firearms. Shuemake signed an announcement underneath oath saying he had no firearms. Nevertheless, proof at trial confirmed Shuemake working as a restaurant and bar safety guard, and regardless of the courtroom order, he was seen on surveillance video a number of occasions with a firearm in a holster on his hip. When regulation enforcement searched the residence the place they noticed Shuemake dwelling, they discovered a handgun within the closet. The gun had Shuemake’s DNA on the grip. Shuemake tried to say he lived at a distinct tackle, after which pressured associates to deceive investigators about how the gun got here to be within the residence.
On the time of the FBI investigation into Shuemake’s gun possession, the Bureau of Prisons was investigating him for a sexual relationship with a feminine inmate. Shumake was additionally being scrutinized for sharing details about inmates that resulted in assaults on a few of these housed on the FDC.
Even after his conviction, Shuemake continued to violate courtroom orders by sporting clothes figuring out himself as regulation enforcement whereas working personal safety jobs. Choose Jones ordered Shuemake to serve 72 hours in King County Jail for violating his bond.
Prosecutors wrote within the sentencing memo Shumake “tried to take advantage of the implicit belief throughout the judicial system that’s conferred upon sworn regulation enforcement officers. And but, Shuemake not solely failed to fulfill the fundamental minimal normal of being a law-abiding citizen, however he additionally fell woefully in need of the moral requirements of a federal regulation enforcement officer by undermining the administration of justice at each flip.”
Shuemake was on unpaid go away from the Bureau of Prisons pending the result of this case. His employment has now been terminated.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Manca, Cindy Chang, and Ye-Ting Woo.