FBI agents arrested Tucson attorney Rafael F. Gallego and his assistant, Ricardo Gallego, for allegedly obstructing justice, tampering with a witness and assisting an offender in avoiding apprehension in a criminal case.
According to the unsealed federal grand jury indictment, the charges against 59-year-old Rafael F. Gallego and 39-year-old Ricardo Gallego, include one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice; one count of conspiracy to commit false statements; one substantive count of obstruction of justice; one count of accessory after the fact; and, one count of conspiracy to tamper with a witness.
The indictment alleges that from January 2017 to October 2017, the defendants conspired to corruptly effect the administration of justice in a criminal matter involving Efrain Corrales-Perez that was pending in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona.
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The indictment alleges that the Gallegos provided false information to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents and an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Arizona. The indictment further alleges that the Gallegos, having knowledge of the commission of a drug trafficking offense, provided assistance to Corrales-Perez in order to hinder and prevent the his apprehension, trial and punishment.
The indictment also alleges that Gallegos conspired to corruptly persuade an individual to provide false information to law enforcement investigators.
Upon conviction, the Gallegos face up to 20 years in federal prison for witness tampering; up to ten years in federal prison for obstruction of justice; and, up to five years in federal prison for the remaining conspiracy charges.