Man Who Loaned Gun to Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Sentenced

Stephen Silva apologized in court on Tuesday

The friend of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev who leant him the gun eventually used to murder MIT police officer Sean Collier was sentenced to time served Tuesday.

Stephen Silva, 22, apologized in court, saying he was "young and dumb" and he didn't know what Tsarnaev's true intentions were with the gun.

"I'd definitely like to give my deepest condolences to the Collier family," Silva said. "I am very upset that the firearm was used to kill him, I had no idea whatsoever his intentions were again and you know it's very difficult but it's something I've got to live with, you know you learn from your mistakes."

Silva could have faced up to five years in prison on drugs and weapons charges, but he was sentenced to what amounted to 17 months in prison and released Tuesday because he pleaded guilty and testified against Tsarnaev.

"It was definitely one of the most difficult things I've done in my life," Silva said. "It's never easy seeing your friend or former friend in a position like that, you know it's pretty difficult."

But Silva wants to be clear that he never knew anything about the Boston Marathon bombing or his former friend's involvement in it.

"At the end of the day he did what he did," he said. "I don't support it, I don't support any type of terrorism or violence at all. You know, it's just sad a close friend chose to do that with his life."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us