Federal prosecutors ask to revoke bond for Yellow House defendant

Federal prosecutors have again asked a judge to revoke the bond of a Lawrence man accused in an Internet stolen goods case because of a blog post that criticizes prosecutors in the case.

Guy and Carrie Neighbors, owners of the Yellow House Store, 1904 Mass., face federal charges in three cases. But for nearly three years they have maintained their innocence and accused prosecutors and law enforcement of corruption. The bond revocation request is only for Guy Neighbors.

In July, the defendants reached an agreement with prosecutors to only discuss the case in court and remove content from their blogs. Prosecutors have said the blog posts are not true and are meant to intimidate witnesses.

Federal prosecutors this week accused the couple’s son, Alex Neighbors, of linking to a blog Web site and comment by a user named “Guy” that criticized prosecutors for losing their perspectives and being vindictive in the case. A link to the blog page was posted by a user “Alex Neighbors” in the discussion forum below a Monday story on the Journal-World’s Web site about the couple pleading not guilty to obstruction charges.

“This conduct violates both the spirit and the letter of the temporary restraining order and the terms of the defendant’s pretrial release conditions,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Marietta Parker wrote in her motion filed Thursday.

In her motion, Parker wrote the blog Web site is “under the direct control and dominion of (Guy Neighbors) and that he continues to use it to disseminate information and to make extrajudicial statements about his pending cases.”

The blog Web site that prosecutors linked to Guy Neighbors had been removed by Friday afternoon.

This is the third time prosecutors have asked a judge to revoke bond for Guy or Carrie Neighbors. The first time U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. O’Hara allowed the agreement in the case, and in August he declined the request to keep them in custody until their trials.