WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA -- A 31 year old Freedom, Pennsylvania, resident was sentenced on February 11, 2008, in United States District Court in Wheeling by Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr.

United States Attorney Sharon L. Potter announced that JOHN DEUTSCH was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release, pursuant to an earlier entered plea of guilty.

DEUTSCH entered a plea of guilty on February 1, 2007, to one count of an Information charging him with Accessory After the Fact. Specifically, DEUTSCH, knowing that Eugene J. Talik, Jr. had committed interstate domestic violence resulting in the death of Kelly Jo Elliott, did assist Eugene J. Talik, Jr. in order to hinder and prevent Talik’s apprehension, trial, and punishment from May 25, 2006, to June of 2006. As part of his agreement, DEUTSCH led authorities to the remains of Kelly Jo Elliot, who had been missing for six months. DEUTSCH gave a full debriefing as to the facts of the murder and concealment of the body and agreed to testify against the individual who killed Ms. Elliot, Eugene Talik. Talik pled guilty in January 2008 to traveling in interstate commerce with the intent to kill his intimate partner and dating partner Kelly Jo Elliott and causing the death of Kelly Jo Elliott. Talik is awaiting sentencing.

DEUTSCH was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $5,756.76 to the victim’s family for funeral expenses. DEUTSCH was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service.

The case was investigated by the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the Ohio County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John C. Parr and Robert H. McWilliams, Jr.