Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Gang Member Convicted of Making False Statements at the Jamal Dean Sentencing
A member of the same gang as Jamal Dean, who made false statements while testifying as a witness at the sentencing of Jamal Dean, was convicted by a jury on April 12, 2016, after a two-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Cesar Ramos, age 27, from Sioux City, Iowa was convicted of three counts of making false material declarations. The verdict was returned following about one hour of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial revealed the following facts. Ramos and Jamal Dean were in the same gang and Jaime Espinoza was in another gang. After Espinoza was shot, Ramos – according to statements he gave to investigators – drove Jamal Dean away from near the scene of the shooting. When he was asked about these observations at the sentencing of Jamal Dean, however, he feigned a memory lapse repeatedly answering: “I don’t remember.” The jury found these answers were made under oath, were false, that Ramos knew they were false, and were material to district court’s sentencing inquiry; and, therefore, constituted perjury.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Lenard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Ramos remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Ramos faces a possible maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 special assessment, and up to three years of supervised releases following any imprisonment, on each of the three charges.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and the United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
The case file number is 15-4058.
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