A Lyons man already being held without bail on rape charges is now facing additional felony accusations after authorities say he attempted to interfere with a witness from inside the jail.
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office reported that Matthew J. Hagar, 37, was arrested April 16 on a sealed grand jury indictment tied to alleged efforts to bribe and threaten a victim while in custody.
Investigators said the case stems from activity between October and November 2025, when Hagar allegedly used jail phone calls to coordinate with others in an attempt to influence a witness. The allegations were presented to a Wayne County grand jury, which returned an indictment on March 31.
Hagar now faces multiple charges, including attempted bribing of a witness, conspiracy to commit criminal solicitation in the fourth degree, criminal contempt in the second degree, conspiracy to tampering with a witness in the fourth degree, and criminal solicitation in the fifth degree.
He was arraigned in Wayne County Court following the indictment. Officials said Hagar remains held in the Wayne County Jail without bail on his original charges, and a nominal $1 bail was set on the new charges due to his current detention status.
A court date for his next appearance has not yet been scheduled.
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