I recently read about your decision to dismiss prosecutors involved in the January 6th cases for unethical practices. That moment gave me a rare sense of hope—that perhaps there is someone in your position who truly values integrity in our justice system and is unafraid to hold prosecutors accountable.

With that hope, I write to you today as the people of Thamud Eldridge, who is currently incarcerated in the Western District of New York. I am pleading with you to investigate the conduct of Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi, who has exhibited years of unchecked prosecutorial misconduct in the cases of U.S. v. Eldridge, 06-cr-311 and 09-cr-329.

What happened to my family/friend me is not prosecution—it is persecution. Below are the most serious violations that demand accountability.

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Allegations of Prosecutorial Misconduct by AUSA Joseph M. Tripi

1. Witness Tampering and Intimidation – Coerced defense witness Antoine Taylor into signing a false statement under threat of prosecution. When he refused, he was charged and made unavailable to testify, violating Thamud’s Sixth Amendment rights.

2. Presentation of False Evidence – Introduced a misleading photograph of an unmarked white patrol car to falsely support a narrative of a firearm exchange.

3. Suppression of Exculpatory DNA Evidence (Brady Violation) – Withheld DNA results excluding Thamud’s alleged co-occupants from the weapon, revealed only after conviction.

4. Vindictive Sentencing Advocacy – Urged the court to impose a maximum 41-year sentence, describing my son as having “unredeemable qualities” who should “rot in jail.”

5. Harassment of Loved Ones – Sent agents to raid the home and daycare of Thamud’s fiancée, destroying her business and compelling her to testify during a family medical crisis.

6. Abuse of RICO Charges – Built a racketeering case on incentivized informants, including testimony later proven false by incarceration records.

7. Destruction of Evidence – Mishandled and destroyed a firearm in evidence and disclosed, on the eve of trial, that crucial surveillance footage was “lost.”

8. Fabricated Testimony – Allowed government witnesses to present demonstrably false timelines without challenge.

9. Judicial Bias – Judge Richard Arcara himself objected on the prosecution’s behalf during cross-examination, improperly interfering with trial proceedings.

10. Privacy Violations – Unlawfully seized phone data outside the scope of the original warrant.

11. Coercion of Jailhouse Informants – Multiple witnesses later admitted to being pressured by agents into providing false testimony against Thamud.

12. Reliance on Discredited Detective – Relied on Detective Mark Stambach, later found liable for misconduct in unrelated civil rights cases.

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Why This Matters

Thamud has now served nearly 20 years—13 of them in county jail awaiting trial on questionable charges. All of his co-defendants have been released or received much shorter sentences. Yet the government continues to pursue life imprisonment based on manipulated testimony and destroyed evidence.

Despite raising these constitutional violations in his §2255 motion over four years ago, the district court has refused to act. Judge Arcara has never held AUSA Tripi accountable. Instead, my son has been left to languish while the misconduct goes unpunished.

Thamud has worked tirelessly to rehabilitate himself. He is brilliant, introspective, and determined to contribute positively to his community. He has a son, now 20 years old, who desperately needs his father. Our family has endured decades of trauma, but we continue to fight for justice.

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Our Request

We ask you, Attorney General Bondi, to:

• Initiate an independent investigation into the prosecutorial conduct of AUSA Joseph M. Tripi.

• Review the constitutional violations in Thamud Eldridge’s cases with urgency.

• Hold accountable those who have abused their power under the guise of justice.

This is not just about my Family/Friend it is about restoring faith in the justice system. When prosecutors are allowed to lie, destroy evidence, and intimidate witnesses without consequence, every American’s rights are at risk.

We believe in redemption. We believe in accountability. And we believe you may be the one person willing to take a stand where others have turned away. Please—help us stop this injustice.

Thank you for your time, your leadership, and your courage to stand on the side of fairness.

With deepest sincerity,