Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Prescott man charged with jury tampering

A Prescott man has been charged with jury tampering after he allegedly asked a woman to help him out with a trial.

Bryant Sims, 36, 403 E. Main St., was charged based on the statement of a woman who had apparently been on a jury panel selected to hear several cases. According to court records on file at the Nevada County Sheriffs Office, the woman told a Prescott Police Officer that Sims had stopped at her house on the day that jury was picked, which was April 23.

The woman said Sims called her over to his car and asked, Do you know who I am? According to the court records, the woman told him that she only knew Sims from seeing him in court earlier that day. Sims then asked if she would help him out with the case, according to the court records. The woman told police that she declined and Sims then asked, How much would it cost him for her to help him out, the records state.

She said she just looked at him and shook her head and walked off, according to the records.

The panel selected on that date were slated to hear three trials but only one of those actually came to trial as two reached plea agreements, according to information from the Nevada County Circuit Clerks Office.

Jury tampering is a Class D Felony. Sims has been charged as a habitual offender which carries an additional 10-year sentence.

Sims has several open cases, including one for theft.