Augusta, Ga (WJBF) – Sammie Sias came to federal court an innocent man but after four days of testimony he did not leave that way after being found guilty of destruction of documents and lying to federal investigators.  

“The process it is what it is I think it was fair we’ll be preparing to deal with this from this point forward my team I believe put on a very good defense for me but obviously it didn’t go my way,” said Sias following the verdict.

According to testimony just hours after Sias received a FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) subpoena for bank documents on sales tax spending at Jamestown Community Center where Sias was in charge more than 7000 files were deleted from his laptop.

Sias on the stand did not explain how or why those files were deleted, we tried to ask Sias when he faced reporters after the verdict.

“How did the 7000 documents get deleted that seemed to be the key to the case how did those files get deleted,”

Prosecutors making the case that the day after the FBI raided Sias home in August of 2019 Sias had jump drives he had put into his lap top the day the files were deleted still in his possession, but he told   the FBI on tape that all documents concerning Jamestown sales tax project had been provided.

With the conviction Sias faces up to 20 years in prison and a half million dollars in fines, he will   be free on bond awaiting sentencing or an appeal, no sentencing date has been set.