Firearms examiner charged in Modiri/Paumen case

Posted August 6th 2016, 8:03 p.m. CST

By Aaron Humes: The Police Department is facing yet another scandal after firearms examiner Orlando Vera was charged earlier this week with Abetment of the crime of perverting the course of Justice.

Michael Modiri, the neighbour of American Tour Operator Bradley Paumen, has accused Vera of trying to offer a bribe to get rid of evidence.

Paumen and 3 others have been charged with perverting the course of justice for allegedly trying to plant a gun on Modiri so that he could be arrested and sent to jail; and separately, contracting a hit on him. They were ordered to stand trial for these and other charges in the Supreme Court beginning later this year.

According to Modiri, sometime between June 1 and July 31 of last year, Vera offered to tamper with that evidence against him so that he could be freed of the charges. Modiri eventually side-stepped that mess and the plot to frame him was exposed months after.

Vera was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith for that single charge of abetment to the perversion of the course of justice. Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl Lynn Vidal told the court that the prosecution intended to proceed under the summary jurisdiction of offences, which allowed for a not guilty plea to be taken. He was released on bail of 1 thousand dollars, and he must return to court on August 29.

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