Now, a local news outlet has reported that
Sherie Farstveet, a 54-year-old former paralegal in the city of Brighton, has admitted in court to releasing the document. She pleaded guilty on Dec. 10 to a count of attempted official misconduct. Her conviction would stay publicly unreported for nearly two weeks before the local outlet,
The Gazette, broke the news.
Stauch’s prosecutor Michael Allen said a true crime website published it. Back in a May press conference, he did not name Farstveet, but
she was quickly identified elsewhere. bbm
“I know that the person does not work for the court system per se, but does have a log-in to get into the court system,” he told reporters. “And was able to access the affidavit before the seal was lifted, and accessed it that way before leaking it. Those are the allegations.”
At the time, he voiced doubt that the release of the affidavit would affect the Stauch case, but added the leak deprived Gannon’s birth parents “of the right and respect that they deserve as victims in this case to really have chance to see it before. They are just confronted with it on the media or online.”
Farstveet, who had worked for the Brighton City Attorney’s Office as a paralegal, was reportedly ordered by the judge to pay $100 fine and $199.50 in court costs.
“Sherie Farstveet is no longer employed by the City of Brighton and we have no additional comment,” spokesman
Zachary Reece told Law&Crime in an email Wednesday morning.
Paralegal Pleads Guilty to Leaking Grisly Affidavit in Letecia Stauch Case
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Allen said he doesn’t think the affidavit leak will hurt the case against Letecia Stauch, the woman accused of killing her stepson, Gannon.
However, Allen added, the leak didn’t give Gannon’s parents the chance to read over and digest the details with authorities before viewing it online.
Adams County Judge Michael Andrew Cox ultimately ordered Farstveet to pay court costs for her indiscretion. She was initially facing first-degree official misconduct, but prosecutors charged her with a lesser crime of attempted official misconduct for a guilty plea.
Gannon Stauch: Paralegal who leaked slain Colorado boy’s unsealed murder documents pleads GUILTY
