by NickleCity » Wed May 01, 2024 4:24 pm
Witness in Bongiovanni trial charged with stealing rent payment that prosecutors provided her
…snip…
Because of threats against various federal witnesses in the case, the federal government made arrangements to pay for safe and secure housing for Hunt upon her release last year from the inpatient rehabilitation facility. Starting in December, the government provided $1,200 on a monthly basis for the express purpose of paying rent at a safe, privately owned location known to the FBI, according to the court filing.
…snip…
But for April, even though Hunt sent a text message to a federal agent that contained an image of a rental payment receipt, bearing her signature and that of the landlord, the landlord told the FBI that he did not receive the $1,200 rent payment for April.
Hunt was charged with theft of government money, and she’s now in jail.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Cooper and defense lawyer Carla J. Benz told U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy on Wednesday that they agree Hunt needs treatment. But Cooper asked the judge to order Hunt to wear a location monitoring device. The treatment center will not allow her into the program if she’s wearing the ankle monitor.
“She is not safe if she is in a jail facility,” Benz told the judge, noting that publicly available court records identify her as a cooperating witness.
But if Hunt leaves the facility without permission, “where she is not safe, is to leave her to her own devices on the street,” Cooper countered.
…snip…
For the whole article see:
https://buffalonews.com/news/local/crim ... 1b0d4.htmlWitness in Bongiovanni trial charged with stealing rent payment that prosecutors provided her
…snip…
Because of threats against various federal witnesses in the case, the federal government made arrangements to pay for safe and secure housing for Hunt upon her release last year from the inpatient rehabilitation facility. Starting in December, the government provided $1,200 on a monthly basis for the express purpose of paying rent at a safe, privately owned location known to the FBI, according to the court filing.
…snip…
But for April, even though Hunt sent a text message to a federal agent that contained an image of a rental payment receipt, bearing her signature and that of the landlord, the landlord told the FBI that he did not receive the $1,200 rent payment for April.
Hunt was charged with theft of government money, and she’s now in jail.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Cooper and defense lawyer Carla J. Benz told U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy on Wednesday that they agree Hunt needs treatment. But Cooper asked the judge to order Hunt to wear a location monitoring device. The treatment center will not allow her into the program if she’s wearing the ankle monitor.
“She is not safe if she is in a jail facility,” Benz told the judge, noting that publicly available court records identify her as a cooperating witness.
But if Hunt leaves the facility without permission, “where she is not safe, is to leave her to her own devices on the street,” Cooper countered.
…snip…
For the whole article see: https://buffalonews.com/news/local/crime-courts/witness-in-bongiovanni-trial-charged-with-stealing-rent-payment-that-prosecutors-provided-her/article_7df19eac-07f2-11ef-844d-270c9ef1b0d4.html