D.C. man pleads guilty to threatening U.S. prosecutor

A 45-year-old District man has pleaded guilty to threatening the life of a federal prosecutor, according to court records and trial testimony.

Darryl Tipps and a co-defendant, Wayne W. Pannell, 47, were charged with threatening the life of Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah Sines and threatening to kidnap her son. A jury convicted Pannell of all charges Oct. 7. Tipps pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors and testified against Pannell at his trial early this month, according to court records.

During his testimony, Tipps disclosed he had pleaded guilty to threatening to injure or kidnap a person and to obstructing justice in the case, according to lawyers and others who attended the trial.

Further details about Tipps's plea deal could not be learned because the agreement and supporting documents are sealed. Court papers filed by Pannell's defense lawyer disclosed the secret agreement but did not specify the charges. Pannell is scheduled to be sentenced in January. It is not known whether a sentencing date for Tipps has been set. At the time of Pannell's conviction, the status of Tipps's case was not clear.

Federal prosecutors in the District were recused from the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph A. LaBar, a federal prosecutor in Philadelphia who handled the case, declined to comment Wednesday.

Tipps's attorney, Manuel J. Retureta, could not be reached Wednesday.