A man charged with witness tampering and cyber-bullying in the Kauffman murder and racketeering case was granted release From jail with restrictions Friday.
John Kachbalian was arrested after a Facebook post targeting Beverly Augello, the former wife of the man now convicted in the murder and racketeering case involving the late Dr. James Kauffman.
Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury previously ordered Kachbalian detained, as the trial had not yet happened.
But now that Ferdinand Augello has been convicted in April Kauffman's murder and the drug ring involving her doctor husband, the same risks no longer exist for the witnesses, DeLury ruled Friday.
He also said Kachbalian's heath, which his lawyers previously cited as a reason he needed to be released, had deteriorated.
Beverly Augello and several others — including all but one co-defendant in the case — testified against Freddy Augello at his trial. Their plea deals led Kachbalian — known as "The Egyptian" — to call them "rats" and post their pictures and other information on his Facebook.
John Kachbalian is now jailed on witness-tampering and cyber-bullying charges based on his Facebook posts.
But it was a post showing the photo of the back of a naked Beverly Augello that got Kachbalian arrested.
While he doesn’t name her, it has been confirmed to be Augello’s former wife.
“Guess which ‘Lying Rat’ this is,” he wrote. “Hint, this (expletive) while out on bail for Murder Conspiracy and Drug Racketeering Case and after she agreed to snitch on her ex-husband, got arrested in April for cocaine, but through the help of her handlers at ACPO & FBI no mention in local news. In and out of confinement nice and quite. Even the one sided judge had no issue with her bail. Street justice at it’s best.”
The conditions of his release include no use of social media or the internet, unless it is to delete or remove the offending posts and Facebook profile.
He also can have no interaction with the alleged victim, defendants in the case or members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club.
Kachbalian must check in with the court in person every other week and by phone on the off weeks.
After Freddy Augello's conviction, three longtime employees of the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office filed a complaint that included alleged inproprieties related to the investigation and prosecution of the case.
