A judge has denied bail for a Marion Oaks woman accused of threatening a witness who testified against her brother at his murder trial.
On July 31, a jury found Marquis Luis Rosado guilty of death caused by the unlawful distribution of fentanyl. Two days later, Marion County Sheriff’s detectives arrested and charged Rosado’s sister with retaliating against a witness.
Anya Maria Cintron was taken into custody at her Marion Oaks residence and transported to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office for questioning. Cintron declined to be interviewed by detectives.
The 20-year-old was transported to the county jail for booking. It’s the same lockup where her 22-year-old brother is being held.
Rosado’s trial
After two days of trial, a 12-member jury said Rosado was guilty in the 2022 death of 26-year-old Marcus Lane II.
In court, Assistant State Attorney Amy Berndt said Rosado provided Percocet pills to Lane. The pills had fentanyl, according to evidence provided to the court.
Defense attorney A. Antonio Tomas told jurors the death was a result of a lethal combination of fentanyl and alcohol. He said the death was an accident. Rosado did not testify. Rosado’s family members, including his sister, were at the trial.
Cintron cried when her brother was sentenced by Circuit Judge Tim McCourt to life in prison.
She wasn’t pleased with the verdict, and at one point was warned by a bailiff that if she did not abide by the rules, she would be asked to leave the courtroom.
Investigation
According to Cintron’s arrest report, on Aug. 2, a report was made to the sheriff’s office that the victim’s family has been receiving “unwanted phone calls and messages.”
Deputies were told at least one message was sent via Instagram and came from Rosado’s account. The message contained vulgar language and alluded to violence because of the witness’ testimony at trial.
The message was viewed and saved by sheriff’s officials.
In their investigation, detectives discovered the threatening message was sent around the same time Rosado and her brother were on the phone.
Listening to a recording of the phone call between the brother and sister, Rosado told his sister where the witnesses sat in court. The two talked about the witness, and during their conversation, authorities said, the threatening message was sent.
Rosado’s interview
The report states Detectives Caitlin Hartigan and Karla Santana-Palau went to the jail on Aug. 2 to interview Rosado. He said he and his sister spoke on Aug. 1, and she and his parents were in court during his trial.
He told the detectives no one had access to his Instagram account and it changed since his arrest.
Told about the phone call between he and his sister, Rosado said he did not know his sister could get into trouble and wanted detectives to charge him instead of her.
Detectives found Cintron at her residence where she gave detectives her phone number. She asked for a lawyer.
No bail
At her first appearance court hearing, held Saturday morning inside the jail, a handcuffed Cintron stood in front of County Judge Lori Cotton and was told her charge.
Cintron asked for, and received, a lawyer from the Public Defender’s Office. The judge told the young woman she read the report and found there was probable cause for her arrest.
Cintron told the judge she has lived in Marion County her whole life and her parents and grandparents live in the community. She told the judge she doesn’t have a job.
Assistant State Attorney Danielle Ruse told the judge because of the nature of the case and the risk of harm to witnesses, she should be held without bail. The woman has no criminal record.
Guilty verdicts: Ocala courts: Different facts. Different circumstances. Same verdict: guilty of murder
Michael Novak, an assistant public defender, said Cintron should be given bail because of her lack of criminal history, and because the trial is already over and the defendant has been sentenced.
The judge said threatening a witnesses is a serious crime and the community’s safety is important. She denied bail and told Cintron her next court date is in September.
Contact Austin L. Miller at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Woman charged with threatening a witness from her brother’s murder trial.
Source Agencies
