Shaquiel Anthony Mendez, 31, has been convicted of conspiracy to tamper with a witness in the ongoing investigation into the August 28, 2020, murder of Santino Marial. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota announced the conviction following a four-day jury trial.
Mendez was found guilty for his involvement in conspiring to tamper with a federal witness after the victim was stabbed with a pencil in the Cass County jail. U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider commented on the case, stating, “An attack on a witness is an attack on the rule of law,” emphasizing the seriousness of violence against federal witnesses.
The case is part of a larger investigation involving several individuals. Daniel Saydee Cisse, 20, is currently serving an 11-year sentence for his role in the conspiracy, while Ahmed Abdi Hassan, 21, has pleaded guilty and is set to be sentenced on January 21, 2025. Jesse James Burnett, 31, faces charges of murder and conspiracy to tamper with a witness, with his trial scheduled for April 1, 2025.
Mendez’s sentencing is scheduled for April 21, 2025.
