If you’re facing drug charges, it helps to have an accomplice in the court system – at least that’s what a 25-year-old defendant apparently thought.
Now Kenneth “War” Wylie and his girlfriend, Chanel Turner, 23, a receptionist for the Chester County Juvenile Probation Department, are both accused of felony witness intimidation, said Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan in a press release.
Working together, Wylie and Turner, both from Coatesville, allegedly tracked down a witness at the Chester County Justice Center in West Chester in the drug case against Wylie, and attempted to intimidate the witness into not testifying against Wylie, the release said.
A preliminary hearing for Turner occurred on Tuesday, Dec. 8. She was held for court on witness intimidation and conspiracy charges, according to court records. Turner, who has been suspended without pay from her job, remains free on $7,500 unsecured bail. Wylie remains on the lam, Hogan said.
“This incident, located within the Chester County Justice Center and involving a county employee, is a particularly brazen attempt to obstruct justice,” Hogan said in the release. “We will not allow criminals to undermine justice in Chester County.”
According to the criminal complaint, the victim, a prosecution witness against Wylie, was seated in Courtroom 12 of the Chester County Justice Center on Oct. 20, the day before Wylie’s scheduled preliminary hearing in the drug case. Turner told detectives she received a text from Wylie instructing her to leave her post at the Juvenile Probation Department during her break and approach the victim.
Turner told the victim, “Hey, don’t show up in court tomorrow.” The victim questioned Turner, who stated, “War said don’t come to court tomorrow.” The victim said that he did not have court and asked why “War” was going to be in court. Turner stated, “War had some sales or something, and your name came up,” the complaint said.
A short time later, the victim told detectives that Wylie, who was not listed for any official business in the Justice Center that day, approached the victim, and said, “Long time no see.” Wylie then followed the victim into an office and lingered, staring at the victim, the complaint said.
The victim also told investigators that he had received multiple electronic messages in the days prior to Oct. 20 involving Wylie’s attempt to reach him directly or through other people, the complaint said.
“Wylie just made a bad situation for himself even worse,” said Hogan in the release. “We will track him down. He has added to the criminal charges he faces and amount of time in jail he will serve. He convinced his girlfriend to join this criminal scheme, which will result in her picking up a criminal record and already has caused her to lose her job.”
Hogan said he hoped the case would offer “a strong lesson and warning to anybody else who is considering trying to intimidate witnesses in Chester County.”
Anybody with any further information is asked contact Chester County Detective Joseph Nangle at 610-344-6866.
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