Vladislav Miftakhov, the 19-year old engineering student charged with “possessing weapons of mass destruction” by the Altoona, Pennsylvania Police Department on Friday, will be represented by a private defense attorney and not a public defender, Breitbart News confirmed on Monday.
An employee at the Donaldson Law Office in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania told Breitbart News on Monday morning that attorney Robert S. Donaldson has been retained to represent Miftakhov. According to his website, “Attorney Donaldson currently focuses his practice primarily on criminal defense across Pennsylvania.” He appears often in Blair County, Pennsylvania courts, where Mr. Miftakhov will be tried.
The employee for the Donaldson Law Office would not comment on the identity of the person who paid Mr. Donaldson’s retainer. Mr. Donaldson was not available to comment, the employee stated, because he was in Pittsburgh on business.
Miftakhov failed to make bail on Friday, which was set at $500,000, and was incarcerated in Blair County Prison. On Monday morning, Michael Johnston, Warden of the Blair County Prison, told Breitbart News in an exclusive interview that Miftakhov was still incarcerated and had received no visitors.
Breitbart News reported on Saturday that, according to the San Carlos Patch, Miftakhov graduated from Carlmont High School in Belmont, California in 2013.