A Quincy man has been charged with obstructing the investigation of the Boston Marathon bombings.
Khairullozhon Matanov, 23, of Quincy, is charged in an indictment that was unsealed today, with one count of destroying, altering, and falsifying records, documents, and tangible objects in a federal investigation, specifically information on his computer, and three counts of making materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements in a federal terrorism investigation.
It is alleged that, after the release of the photos of the suspected bombers in the late afternoon of Thursday, April 18, 2013, and again early in the morning of Friday, April 19, 2013, Matanov realized that the FBI would likely want to talk with him because of his ties to the bombers, especially in the week following the bombings. Matanov allegedly then took a series of steps to impede the FBI’s investigation into the extent of his friendship, contact, and communication with the suspected bombers, and the fact that he shared the suspected bombers’philosophical justification for violence. In addition to deleting information from his computer, Matanov made a number of false statements to federal investigators.
The indictment does not charge Matanov with participating in the Marathon bombings or knowing about them ahead of time. The maximum sentence for the count of destruction of evidence is 20 years in prison and eight years for each false statement count. All four counts also carry a
maximum of three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Field Division; and Superintendent William Taylor of the Lowell Police Department, made the announcement today. This investigation was conducted by members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is composed of officers from other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Assistance in the investigation was also provided by the Boston Police, Braintree Police, Waltham Police and Quincy Police Departments; the
Massachusetts State Police; Customs Border Protection; and Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Scott L. Garl and and Aloke S. Chakravarty of Ortiz’s Anti-Terrorism and National Security Unit. The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.