LACONIA — A local man who allegedly offered to give a police officer $100,000 in cash in return for letting him off on a DWI charge is facing felony charges in connection with the incident.
Brandon R. Pestana, 33, of Centenary Avenue, in Laconia, was indicted on charges of bribing and using improper influence against a Laconia police officer.
The indictments were issued by the latest session of the Belknap County grand jury.
An indictment is not an indication of guilt. Rather it is a finding that enough evidence of an alleged crime exists to warrant bringing a case to trial.
According to an affidavit filed in the case, a Laconia police officer saw the vehicle Pestana was driving speeding on Court Street shortly after midnight on Sept. 15. The officer stopped the car in the parking lot of a hotel. The officer stated she smelled alcohol on Pestana’s breath, suspected he was intoxicated, administered a field sobriety test, and arrested him for DWI.
After being informed that he was being placed under arrest Pestana allegedly punched the officer in the head.
A second officer took Pestana to Concord Hospital-Laconia to be examined for a cut close to his eye. At the hospital Pestana allegedly lunged at the officer, and as they were leaving the facility Pestana allegedly said that if he had a gun with him he would have shot the officer. While en route to the Belknap County Jail Pestana allegedly told the officer that he had $100,000 in a duffel bag and would give the cash to the officer if the officer “would pull over and let him out … and would forget about everything that happened,” according to the affidavit.
The improper influence indictment alleges that Pestana threatened to have the transporting officer and his family killed “by the Mexican Mafia” if the officer didn’t let him go.
Both the bribery and improper influence charges are Class B felonies. Each is potentially punishable by seven years in prison.
Pestana was also indicted on charges of DWI (second offense), and criminal threatening, and two charges of simple assault — all misdemeanors.
(2) comments
But..... Did he really have a hundred grand in the duffle bag? Mexican Mafia may want that money back!!
Show me the money.....money talks, Bullshit walks or should I say goes to jail in this case...lol
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