By Billy Davis
Ray Shoemaker was bound over to a federal grand jury Monday after a U.S. magistrate judge agreed there was probable cause to proceed with his case.

Shoemaker, accused of assaulting and threatening a federal investigator, appeared March 12 at a preliminary hearing in Aberdeen.

U.S. Magistrate Judge David Sanders conducted the hearing, which lasted 49 minutes according to court documents.

Defense attorney Steve Farese represented Shoemaker, who was found guilty March 2 of conspiracy, bribery, embezzlement, and making false statements to federal investigators

 He is free on bond and is awaiting sentencing.

Federal prosecutors allege Shoemaker confronted and threatened investigator Sammy Aldridge on March 1 between court proceedings at the federal courthouse in Oxford.

Aldridge works for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and participated in the federal investigation of Shoemaker and Batesville businessman Lee Garner.

A U.S. marshal filed an affidavit against Shoemaker after interviewing Aldridge and a second eyewitness, and after reviewing camera footage of the alleged incident.

Court minutes state that Sanders denied a motion by Farese for the judge to recuse himself from the case.

It is not known from the one page of minutes why Farese requested the recusal.

Sanders ordered that Shoemaker would remain free on bond from the original bond he posted from his other federal case.