LEV L. DASSIN, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern
District of New York, announced that DEBRA RYAN pleaded guilty today in
White Plains federal court to a one-count Information charging her with
aiding and abetting Samuel Israel, III’s failure to surrender to serve a
20-year sentence. As stated by RYAN during her plea and by the Government
at various proceedings in the case:
RYAN knew that Israel was required to begin serving his sentence
on June 9, 2008, and helped Israel avoid surrendering to begin serving
his sentence. On the night before Israel was supposed to go to prison,
RYAN, in her car, followed Israel, who was driving an RV, to a highway
rest area. Israel parked the RV at the rest area and RYAN drove them back
to the house that they shared. Israel subsequently picked up the RV from
the rest stop and used it to avoid surrendering to serve his sentence.
On June 10, 2008, RYAN informed the New York State Police that
she had located a suicide note written by Israel, and she then provided
the note to them. In addition, on numerous occasions during interviews
with law enforcement officers who were investigating whether Israel had
committed suicide or had fled, RYAN denied any knowledge of Israel’s
whereabouts.
RYAN faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and is
scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge KENNETH M.
KARAS on May 22, 2009.
Assistant United States Attorneys SARAH R. KRISSOFF and MARGERY
B. FEINZIG are in charge of the criminal prosecution.
09-024 ###
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