Among the younger generation, there is an extremely unwise but widely followed code: DON’T SNITCH. Now, 3 friends of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev are learning just how stupid they were to follow that code.
Yesterday, authorities arrested Dias Kadyrbayev, Azamat Tazhayakov and Robel Phillipos for obstructing justice, lying to protect Dzhokhar and failing to turn him in once they knew he was the bomber.
It all started when Kadyrbayev noticed a few days after the bombing that the image of “Suspect #2″ released by the FBI, looked a lot like his friend Dzhokhar. Kadyrbayev texted Tsarnaev that evening and directly asked him what was up with that.
According to the federal criminal complaint released yesterday, “Tsarnaev’s return texts contained ‘lol’ and other things KADYRBAYEV interpreted as jokes, such as ‘you better not text me’ and ‘come to my room and take whatever you want.’” Dzhokhar was looking for help and he got it.
Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov entered Tsarnaev’s dorm room at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth the following day and noticed that Dzhokhar’s backpack contained “fireworks.” The empty fireworks containers inside the bag, texts from Tsarnaev, as well as 24 hour news coverage which repeatedly showed the photo of Suspect #2, prompted Kadyrbayev to put two and two together.
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| Robel Phillipos |
Instead of immediately alerting police, Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov took the backpack and Tsarnaev’s laptop, then placed them both in a garbage bag and threw them into a dumpster. Authorities conducted a 3 day search of the local landfill and found the backpack and the evidence it contained. Police questioned the 2 friends, as well as a 3rd friend, Robel Phillipos, whose stories changed over time and did not gel. The men also began to delete social media photos and texts with Dzhokhar, for their own protection. Yesterday, authorities arrested the 3 men, each 19-years-old, on conspiracy charges.
Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov, Kazakh nationals who are both in the U.S. on a student visa, face charges of obstruction of justice which is punishable up to 5 years. Phillipos, who is a U.S. citizen, faces charges of lying to investigators and an 8 year maximum sentence.
Crime doesn’t pay — and for these 3 men, neither does the code of DON’T SNITCH!
