A Mendota, Virginia man has pled guilty to charges related to witness tampering. McKinley Lee Shaffer, 32, admitted to physically assaulting a fellow inmate at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority (SWVRJA) facility in Abingdon. The assault was intended to prevent the inmate from testifying in a federal investigation.
Shaffer’s guilty plea was for one count of using physical force against a witness concerning their testimony and potential cooperation in an official proceeding. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
The incident is linked to a federal investigation into a March 2024 shooting incident in Abingdon. This investigation revealed that Lakin Garrett had fired a pistol at another individual during a drug-related dispute. On November 24, 2024, Shaffer attacked the victim at the SWVRJA facility. Surveillance footage captured Shaffer punching the victim without warning, leading to a physical altercation.
In a subsequent recorded video visit with another person, Shaffer identified himself as a gang member and claimed that the victim had robbed an “Aryan Princess” and informed on her for shooting at him during the March 2024 incident. Shaffer stated he “had to go beat him up.”
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Bristol, Virginia Police Department and the Abingdon Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit Pierce is prosecuting.
