TwManhattan jail guards have been charged by federal prosecutors for their alleged connection to the death of Jeffrey Epstein, NBC News reports.
Michael Thomas and Tova Noel have reportedly been indicted on six counts linked to falsifying prison records. The guards reportedly doctored documents to make it appear as though they were consistently checking on Epstein the night before he was found dead in his New York prison cell. Per the Associated Press, both officers declined plea deals offered to them by federal authorities.
According to the indictment, the guards used the internet throughout to the night to search about things like "furniture sales" and "sports news." It also states that at one point in the night, the guards "appeared to have been asleep at their desks." After discovering Epstein in his cell, Thomas took the blame for his death, telling his supervisor that Noel is "not to blame" and that they "didn't do any rounds."
Despite the alleged admission, the guards signed documents stating that they did in fact do rounds. “We feel this a rush to judgment by the U.S. attorney’s office,” Thomas' lawyer, Montell Figgins, said in a statement. “They’re going after the low man on the totem pole here.”
Though Epstein's death was ruled a suicide, the conspiracy theory that Epstein didn't actually kill himself has continued to linger. Not only was he not on suicide watch prior to his death, but he also rubbed elbows with some of the most powerful people in the world, leading some to believe that his eventual trial would have aired out the dirty laundry of some very notable people. The whole "Epstein Didn’t Kill Himself" movement that's emerged has been embraced by some of the darker corners of the internet.
With the news of the two guards being arrested, the conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein's death will likely gain major steam.
