Detained Trump campaign ex-adviser Roger Stone

Roger Stone, Donald Trump's former advisor, is released on $ 250,000 bail

It was an identity hearing to confirm that he is Roger Stone before being released by a US Sheriff with a bail of $ 250,000, which he must not pay while still appearing in court when necessary.



As he left the federal attorney's office with his lawyers, Stone walked to parole services, smiled, shook hands with a friend, and then spoke outside the Florida courthouse. He said he was innocent of the charges against him and said he has been falsely accused.



He added that he will be declared innocent of the charges, of which he said they are "politically motivated." He also insisted that he will not testify against President Donald Trump.



A crowd gathered outside the court shouted "lock him up," while Stone spoke to the press.



After the hearing, Roger Stone's travels will be restricted. You are only allowed to travel to three areas: South Florida, the Eastern District of New York and the Eastern District of Washington DC and Virginia.

During the hearing, when the judge asked him to present his passport, Stone told him: "I do not have a valid passport, it has expired."



Donald Trump's former counselor has to undergo substance abuse testing as part of what was agreed in the previous trial. And you will be allowed to go to any medical visit with the doctor you are currently attending.



The hearing lasted only 10 minutes.



Roger Stone arrested Friday by the FBI at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was indicted before a grand jury of charges filed by special prosecutor Robert Mueller.



Stone was charged with seven counts: one obstruction charge, five counts of false statements and one count of witness tampering.

The veteran adviser to the president is charged with five crimes of false declaration, one of obstruction of official procedure and another of manipulation of witnesses

Special prosecutor Robert Mueller, in charge of investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election campaign and possible collusion of the environment of Donald Trump, accused Friday Roger Stone, veteran adviser and ideologue of the US president, of seven crimes: obstruction of an official procedure, manipulation of witnesses and five others for false statements. 

Stone is a key player in the investigations because of his contacts with WikiLeaks, the organization behind the leak of thousands of Democratic emails during the presidential campaign. The FBI arrested the 66-year-old lobbyist at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who was then transferred to a court that released him on bail for $ 250,000. At the start, he defended that he is falsely accused and will not testify against the president.

The one that has described the investigations of Mueller like "a witch hunt", defending during months that on him there was "nothing to investigate", was stopped under its own roof. 

"These accusations against Mr. Stone have nothing to do with the president, it has nothing to do with the White House, the president has done nothing wrong," presidential spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said hours after the arrest. 

Trump insisted on disqualifying the investigation through his Twitter account: "The largest witch hunt in the history of our country." There is no conspiracy! The border coyotes, drug traffickers, and people smugglers receive a deal better, "he wrote.


The controversial adviser, who has worked for almost all Republican presidents in recent decades, has denied having known in advance of the cyber attack against the Democratic Party or that WikiLeaks would publish the stolen information.

However, according to the indictment, Trump campaign officials contacted Stone about the dissemination of the emails. "Around October 4, 2016, the Trump campaign employee asked Stone through a text message if he had heard more about London," where Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, is a refugee. "Stone replied: 'Yes, I want to talk on a secure line. Do you have WhatsApp?" Later,



Stone tried to cover up his actions, always according to the accusation, by lying to Congress and pressuring another witness, identified as Person 2, to refuse to speak before the Intelligence Committee of the House of Representatives.

On one occasion he mentioned a character from El Padrino to make himself understood. "On multiple occasions, including December 1, 2017, or around that date, Stone told Person 2 that he should do a 'Frank Pentangeli' before the Intelligence Committee to avoid contradicting Stone's testimony," the document reads.



In September of 2017, during his appearance before the Intelligence Committee of the House of Representatives that investigates the ties of Moscow with the environment of the US president, he insisted that there was no "collusion" with Russia and that "there is no evidence" of irregularities. With Stone, the special prosecutor's team has already indicted 34 individuals, six of them belonging to the president's circle, and three companies.



Stone and Trump have had ups and downs in their relationship. The consultant advised the current president during the first months of the election campaign, but then stepped aside and advised the tycoon informally. 

Trump says he fired him because he assumed too much prominence, but Stone said he was the one who resigned. On December 3, the president praised through Twitter Stone's announcement that he would not testify in the case. But now he may change his speech again.