HAMPTON, Va. - A Hampton man is in jail, accused of violently attacking a pregnant suspect who was cooperating with the federal government in a bank fraud investigation.
Records state that 22-year-old Trequan Smith of Hampton, a pregnant woman and several others knew they were under investigation by federal authorities for bank fraud. The woman was allegedly cooperating with authorities and went to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newport News.
Prosecutors said the woman provided extensive knowledge about the alleged bank fraud.
Smith is accused of tracking her to the meeting, then confronting her while they were in a car together the next day.
He allegedly slammed her head into the passenger side window, pulled her weave out and choked her with both hands. Then, the following day, he is accused of posing as a law enforcement officer and texting her, saying they needed to meet up in order to take a drug test and a urine test to prove she was pregnant.
He allegedly told her, “If you cooperate and be honest, you will be on home arrest with probation.”
The woman thought she was speaking to someone from the investigative team and provided Smith with sensitive information, court documents say. Later, he is accused of calling the woman and bragging about tricking her into providing the information.
“This case started off as conspiracy to commit bank fraud, then it moved into a witness tampering case,” said former detective and crime analyst Richard James. He worked in law enforcement for three decades.
He is not directly connected to the case, but said the case has many different aspects.
“When a defendant starts threatening or intimidating witnesses, the court takes that very seriously,” James said.
Smith is facing witness tampering and obstruction of justice charges.
He is being held without bond.
