Friend of Boston Marathon bomber found guilty of obstructing probe

Boston shows its heart on bombing anniversary

WASHINGTON -- A US federal jury on Monday found Azamat Tazhayakov, a friend of Boston Marathon bombings suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, guilty of obstructing investigation into the attack.

Azamat Tazhayakov, 20, was convicted by a 12-member jury in US District Court in Boston after the jury had deliberated about the trial for days.

Tazhayakovm, a foreign exchange student of Massachusetts Dartmouth University, was allegedly accused of trying to help take from Tsarnaev's dorm a packback containing fireworks, Vaseline, and a thumb drive several days after the April 15, 2013 bombings, which killed three people and injured more than 200, according to a statement of US Attorney Carmen Ortiz's office.

Tazhayakovm, from the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan, will face a maximum 20-year prison sentence on the obstruction of justice charge, and up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge. He will be sentenced on Oct. 16, the statement said.

The trial was the first case related to the Boston Marathon bombings.