Friend of Boston Marathon suspect denies charges

A friend of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has pleaded not guilty to charges of trafficking heroin and possessing an illegal handgun in connection with the April 2013 bombings.

Stephen Silva, 21, of Cambridge, appeared in federal court in Boston to waive his right to a detention hearing. He has been in custody since his arrest last July. His next court date is October 8.

Authorities have said they believe Silva provided Tsarnaev and his brother, Tamerlan, with the gun used to kill Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer Sean Collier during the dramatic manhunt following the bombing, which killed three people and injured more than 260 others.

Silva’s grand jury indictment from July does not mention the police officer’s murder or Tsarnaev. Instead, it focuses mostly on allegations that Silva was dealing heroin in the Boston area. It also states that he received a Ruger pistol with the serial number removed in February 2013.

That gun was used to kill Mr Collier on April 18 2013, as the Tsarnaevs were being sought, two people with knowledge of the case told reporters.

Police have said they recovered the Ruger after a shootout in which Tamerlan was killed. Dzhokhar was found later hiding in a boat in suburban backyard. He faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted over the bombings. He has pleaded not guilty.

Silva, who attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School with Dzhokhar, is one of five men connected to the Tsarnaevs who have faced charges in the aftermath of the bombings.

If convicted of conspiracy to distribute heroin, Silva faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years, according to prosecutors. If convicted of a possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, he faces a maximum sentence of five years. He also faces a maximum of 20 years for six other drug-related charges.

Silva’s family and friends, including his twin brother, Steven, were in court but declined to comment.