A former FBI agent pleaded guilty to deleting all of the files on his computer's hard drive in an effort to destroy evidence connecting him with convicted criminal Sen. Jon Woods.
Agent Robert Cessario is charged with "corrupt destruction of records in an official proceeding," according to 4029 TV News.
He said his intent was to make the files unavailable for forensic examination after Woods was convicted of mail and wire fraud for accepting kickbacks in exchange for steering funds to Ecclesia College.
In the plea deal, Cessario stated: "I erased the contents of the computer hard knowing that the court has ordered that the computer be submitted for a forensic examination. I did so with the intention of making the contents of the computer’s hard unavailable for forensic examination. At the time, I knew that the contents of the hard drive were relevant to an official proceeding, that is, Cause No. 5:17-CR-50010, United States v. Woods et al. I corruptly performed and had performed, the erasures with intent to impair the integrity and availability of the computer hard drive and its contents for use in that official proceeding."
Cessario could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, a fine of a quarter of a million dollars, and up to three years of supervised release.
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