Trump property manager pleads not guilty in classified documents case

By Darren Lyn

HOUSTON, United States (AA) - Carlos De Oliveira, the third defendant in the Trump classified documents criminal case, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in federal court, according to multiple news outlets.

Unlike his two previous court appearances where De Oliveira did not retain an attorney from the state of Florida, he appeared with attorney Donnie Murrell in the Fort Pierce courtroom and entered his not guilty plea.

De Oliveira, the property manager at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, faces four charges, including altering, destroying, mutilating or concealing documents or records, making false statements to federal investigators and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

De Oliveira is charged in the indictment along with the former president and Trump aide Walt Nauta for the alleged mishandling of classified government documents. All three men have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Prosecutors alleged that the defendants engaged in a plot to delete surveillance footage at Trump's estate after the Justice Department subpoenaed the documents and materials from the residence.

De Oliveira allegedly told the Mar-a-Lago director of information technology that "the boss" (Trump) wanted the security footage deleted from the server.

The FBI received surveillance video showing boxes being moved at the resort and agents retrieved more than 100 documents labeled "top secret", "secret," and "confidential," according to the indictment.

A trial has been set for May 2024.