Figurant of sensational case of "turnskins with shoulder-straps" convicted in Stavropol Territory

The Stavropol Territorial Court in Pyatigorsk has sentenced Nikolai Bobryashov, a figurant of the so-called case of "turnskins with shoulder-straps", to 15 years of imprisonment in a strict custody colony. A source in the court has added that he will also pay a fine of 25,000 roubles.

Bobryashov, who worked as acting head of the state farm "Terskiy" in Budyonnovsk, was accused under part 3, Article 219 ("Involvement in a steady criminal community"); part 3, Article 159 ("Swindle through use of one's service position"), part 1, Article 201 ("Abusing of one's powers") and points a and b, part 3, Article 163 ("Extortion accomplished by an organized group of an especially large size") of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, Bobryashov extorted huge batches of cereals from local collective farms and joint-stock agrarian entities for processing at his underground distillery.

We remind you that in 2003 the following persons were arrested: Ruslan Gevorkyan, head of Budyonnovsk ROVD; Sergey Verkhoglazov, head of division for fighting tax crimes; Alexander Lysenko, head of division for fighting economic crimes, and Aram Arutyunyan and Lavrentiy Grigoryan. The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that they were accused of organizing a criminal community.

According to the investigation, the law enforcers and entrepreneurs launched an underground distillery in Budyonnovsk. Raw materials were shipped to it by local agricultural producers free of charge through the branch of the Fund to Promote Law and Order. Otherwise, the trucks of producers got failed at technical check-ups, and OBEP (division to fight economic crimes) and tax officials initiated criminal cases against those who rejected shipments.

Then, at the arrest, over 10 million roubles, 620,000 US dollars and 83,000 euros, 9 golden ingots, 348 golden coins, 309 precious metals jewellery items, 70 gold watches, fire-arms and explosives were confiscated from the gang members.

In April 2008, the court sentenced Gevorkyan, Ruslan Tigranovich, to 15 years, Verkhoglazov, Sergey Nikolaevich, to 14 years, Lysenko, Alexander Valentinovich, to 12 years and Grigoryan, Lavrentiy Gabrielovich, to 11 years of strict custody colony.

The case of Bobryashov was isolated, because of his illness (he was awarded Group 2 of physical inability), into separate legal proceedings, and the verdict was passed on November 10, 2008, with account of the fact that the entrepreneur had been already convicted and served his term for murder; and the court added 2 years of imprisonment to the previous 13.

On April 8, it became known about the scandal, which burst out at this trial. For the influence on the jurymen the Judge removed Alexander Traspov, Gevorkyan's advocate, away from the process. The lawyer then stated that he was punished for his "active defence."