Friend of Dylann Roof begins serving sentence at Ohio prison

By MEG KINNARD
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A friend with whom convicted church shooter Dylann Roof shared his plans to massacre South Carolina churchgoers has begun serving prison time for lying to federal authorities.

Attorney Debbie Barbier tells The Associated Press Joey Meek reported to federal prison in Ohio on Tuesday.

READ: Meek's plea agreement with federal prosecutors

Meek has been sentenced to two years and three months for encouraging friends not to call the FBI and identify Roof after he fatally shot nine black parishioners at Charleston's Emanuel AME Church. Prosecutors say Meek also initially lied to the FBI.

Prosecutors say Roof told Meek he was going to kill black people at a Charleston church during a nighttime Bible study. Meek told authorities he didn't call police and told a friend not to either because he was scared following the June 2015 attack.

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