Man Gets 20 Years for Witness Tampering in Child Sex Case

A man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for tampering with witnesses after Sarasota Police say he paid two women to lie for him after he was charged with paying a minor for sex.

Gary Mays, 43, was arrested in June 2011 and charged with giving a minor money, cigarettes and marijuana in return for sex at a North Tamiami Trail hotel, police said.

Later, two women came forward to say they were in the hotel room and that the assault on the child did not occur, according to Officer Linda J. DeNiro, police spokesperson. "These two witnesses recently recanted their statements and told investigators that Mays paid them to give a false statement," DeNiro said.

Mays was subsequently arrested and on Feb. 7 convicted of two counts of principle to perjury and one count of witness tampering in an unlawful sex with certain minor case.

On Feb. 28, Mays received a 20-year prison sentence on those charges.

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