Friend of Alleged Boston Bomber to Plead Guilty, Lawyer Says

Dias Kadyrbayev Accused of Thwarting Investigation Into the Attack

By JON KAMP
Aug. 20, 2014 6:43 p.m. ET

A former college friend of alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is expected to plead guilty to charges connected with thwarting the investigation into the attack, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Dias Kadyrbayev is expected to appear in Boston federal court on Thursday, attorney Robert Stahl said. He declined to say whether Mr. Kadyrbayev will plead guilty to one or both of the federal charges he faces. The tougher charge, for obstructing justice, carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

His plea change follows the conviction a month ago of another friend and former roommate, Azamat Tazhayakov, on the same charges. Prosecutors accused both men—20-year-olds from Kazakhstan—of taking items, including a backpack with emptied fireworks tubes, from Mr. Tsarnaev's room at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth just days after the April 2013 marathon attack.

Mr. Tazhayakov hasn't yet been sentenced. Neither man is accused of knowing about or taking part in the bombing itself, which left three dead and more than 260 wounded.

Prosecutors allege Mr. Tsarnaev, now 21, carried out that attack with his older brother Tamerlan, who died days later following a shootout with law enforcement. The surviving brother pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go on trial in November. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

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