HARRISBURG, PA – Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the conviction of Dushawn Ellis, a 34-year-old man from Berks County, on charges of witness intimidation and obstruction of justice in a human trafficking case.
Ellis was found guilty of threatening a victim who was set to testify against him. He declared a $20,000 hit on the witness, actively ensuring that the victim was aware of the threat to her life if she proceeded with her testimony. His conviction came after a jury trial in Berks County, where he was found guilty of two counts of felony witness intimidation and one count of obstruction of justice. Ellis is scheduled to be sentenced on February 26.
During the trial, it was revealed that Ellis had communicated the threat through another inmate at Berks County Prison, who knew the witness. He further used prison technology to video chat with the witness directly, conveying the threat himself.
Attorney General Henry emphasized the seriousness of Ellis’s actions, stating that such conduct aimed at silencing charges against him will not be tolerated in Pennsylvania. The conviction is seen as a victory for justice, ensuring accountability for Ellis’s intimidations and threats. The underlying investigation into the human trafficking case involving Ellis remains ongoing.