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A Whitman woman will spend up to 15 years in prison for attempting to bribe a juror in her boyfriend’s attempted murder trial.
Yolanda Watson, 42, was convicted of aggravated jury tampering — employing force or violence, obstructing administration of the law and tampering with a jury Jan. 21 and sentenced Friday to one to two years each for the latter two convictions with a term of seven-and-a-half to 15 years running concurrently for the former, according to court documents. Watson, who was arrested a year ago for the charges, must complete citizen classes, gain employment within six months of her release and remain under the supervision of the mental health unit upon release.
Her boyfriend Rico Lofton, 36, of the 400 block of Durfor Street, is serving 30 to 60 years in jail with no parole for one count of criminal conspiracy and three counts of aggravated assault, which he was convicted of March 8, 2010. Lofton fired at a group of teens on the 600 block of Jackson Street at 3:10 p.m. Aug. 9, 2006 because he believed the teens beat up his son, according to the District Attorney’s Office. However the shots struck two innocent passers-by — the left hand of an 18-month-old boy in a stroller and a 17-year-old boy’s left leg.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
Also in this week’s Police Report:
Gun collision
Neighborhood grocer robbed
Suspect wanted
Access denied
Game over
Street shooters
Former flame drama
Officers appreciated
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