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Karen Scullin Reporting...A case of justice gone berserk in Salt Lake County results in criminal charges. A high-ranking court official is accused of taking the law into her own hands.
Eyewitness News first reported last month that dozens, possibly hundreds of criminal cases were dismissed on the whim of a powerful court clerk.
Today, after months of investigation, prosecutors filed charges including fraud and obstruction of justice, against Gloria Russo, who for decades was in charge of managing case files in 3rd District Court in Salt Lake County.
Gloria Russo has been working in the court system for 33 years. She was a supervising clerk at Matheson Courthouse when she apparently ordered those under her to throw out certain felony cases.
There are 21 cases prosecutors say they can *prove* she illegally dismissed, though they think there could be many, many more.
They include numerous forgery cases, drug cases involving meth, heroin, and cocaine, false evidence, fleeing, assault on a health care worker, and theft.
Russo now faces a charge of Obstruction of Justice and four charges of Computer Fraud, or in the alternative Altering or falsifying public records.
Prosecutors say there are three dates where Russo apparently dismissed cases. The current charges only deal with October 26th, two thousand. Two other dates in November and January are still under investigation by the D.A.'s office and the F.B.I.
Russo most recently worked in Summit County--- and there are also cases there still under investigation.
Clark Harms/Prosecutor: "I THINK THE VICTIMS OF THE CHARGES DISMISSED CARE, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE CARE "
Clark Harms: "THERE'S NO WAY FOR THEM TO HAVE KNOWN ANY MORE THAN FOR US TO HAVE KNOWN. EVERYONE THOUGHT THE PEOPLE WERE JUST FUGITIVES."
Gloria Russo was reportedly appointed to deal with "Pending Case Cleanup." But the cases that prosecutors can prove she threw out--had only been in the system for eighteen months. The motive is unclear at this point...prosecutors say they simply focus on the fact that a crime was committed and proving it.
Russo's attorney, Ron Yengich said it would be unethical for him to comment on her guilt or innocence. He also says, “I know her and like her, and I am proud to be representing her."
Russo faces zero to five years in jail for each charge against her.
