A Florida man has been sentenced to six years and 10 months in prison for assaulting a witness in retaliation for testimony provided during his trial related to a home invasion robbery scheme.
Remy Ra St Felix, 25, of West Palm Beach, pleaded guilty on May 6 in the Middle District of North Carolina to one count of retaliation against a witness for testimony in a criminal trial. St Felix had previously been found guilty on all counts in a nine-count superseding indictment connected to a plan to steal cryptocurrency through home invasion robberies and was sentenced to 47 years in prison.
According to court documents, after his sentencing, St Felix assaulted “Witness-1,” who had testified at his trial. The incident occurred on Oct. 8, 2024, in the booking area of a detention center in Greensboro, North Carolina. Witness-1 was restrained with leg shackles, a belly chain, and handcuffs when St Felix left his holding cell and attacked him by punching him multiple times. During the assault, St Felix called Witness-1 a “rat” and blamed him for the lengthy sentence. Later that evening, he reportedly boasted about the attack in phone calls with his mother and girlfriend.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said: “Instead of accepting responsibility for his criminal conduct that resulted in a 47-year sentence, St Felix physically attacked and berated a trial witness. Witness retaliation threatens the very foundation of our justice system, which relies on truthful witness testimony. We will aggressively prosecute any attempt to retaliate against federal witnesses.”
U.S. Attorney Clifton T. Barrett for the Middle District of North Carolina stated: “Retaliation against witnesses, no matter when or where it occurs, will not be tolerated. And individuals who assault government witnesses should expect prosecution and punishment. I commend the agents, attorneys, and USAO staff for their commitment and excellent work on cases stemming from this series of internationally organized home invasions.”
Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division added: “St Felix tried to silence the very process that held him accountable. Retaliating against a witness strikes at the heart of the justice system. Those who think they can silence or intimidate witnesses will quickly learn the FBI will come after them.”
Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr., FBI Charlotte Field Office said: “St Felix led a ring of violent cryptocurrency thieves and when he was sentenced to 47 years, he physically attacked a trial witness, cowardly choosing to blame someone else for his crimes. This additional prison time means he will likely be in his 70s before possibly walking free again. While we know his victims will never fully recover, we hope this sentence provides them some sense of justice.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Brian Mund from the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Iverson prosecuted the case.
CCIPS is responsible for investigating and prosecuting cybercrime alongside domestic and international law enforcement agencies with support from private sector partners; since 2020 it has obtained convictions against more than 180 cybercriminals and secured court orders returning over $350 million to victims.
