Five indicted in Tulsa conspiracy to kill potential witness
BY DAVID HARPER World Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
1/30/13 at 4:06 AM
Five people have been indicted on a federal charge of conspiring to kill a person who was expected to testify against one of the defendants in a state court hearing.
Christopher Aaron Charlton, 30; Erin Elizabeth MacKool, 26; William Lucas Mayberry, 26; Charles August Hoffman, 30; and David Bryce Brooner, 37, were charged under seal Jan. 11 by a federal grand jury in Tulsa.
The charges became public when Mayberry and Brooner were arraigned Tuesday.
Charlton was charged July 12 in Tulsa County District Court with assault and battery with a deadly weapon on an allegation that he shot a man in the leg June 5.
The victim was expected to be a witness at a preliminary hearing, according to the indictment.
The grand jury alleges that Charlton wanted to prevent the man from testifying and solicited Brooner to "take out" the potential witness.
The indictment says Charlton, Brooner, MacKool and Mayberry met Aug. 30 to discuss the plot and that MacKool and Mayberry made statements reflecting their willingness to participate.
According to the grand jury, the four left together in Charlton's vehicle and met with Hoffman, who was driving a stolen truck.
A sawed-off shotgun was transferred from Charlton's vehicle to the stolen truck, and everybody except Charlton left in the stolen truck, the indictment says.
Mayberry bought duct tape and zip ties that were to be used to secure the witness and prevent him from fleeing, the grand jury alleges.
MacKool, Mayberry and Hoffman then obtained a semiautomatic handgun, the indictment alleges.
The alleged plot was thwarted before the man could be harmed, Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Litchfield said.
Besides the conspiracy count, Charlton faces other federal charges, including solicitation of murder.
All the defendants except Brooner are also accused of federal gun crimes.
A Tulsa County conspiracy case against Charlton, MacKool, Mayberry and Brooner related to the same alleged plot was dismissed Monday at the request of the state.
That took place because of the federal prosecution, Litchfield said.
Charlton has an April 15 Tulsa County trial date in the assault case.
Original Print Headline: 5 indicted in conspiracy to kill potential witness
David Harper 918-581-8359
david.harper@tulsaworld.com
