A Dallas public defender is facing federal charges after he allegedly had a relationship with one of his former clients and gave her sensitive information about his brother’s case.
Ragan Sierra Moreno, 28, is accused of providing Todd Whitfield — an inmate at the Dallas County jail — with sensitive case information that he used to threaten one of his brother’s alleged victims, according to court documents obtained by WFAA.
He was booked into the county jail late last week on a charge of Abuse of Official Capacity, but has since been bonded out.
It is unclear whether Moreno has hired another attorney to speak on his behalf, and whether he is still employed by the district.
But as of Monday night, Moreno was still listed as eligible to practice law in the state of Texas.
Moreno, who had been with the Dallas County Public Defender’s Office for about eight months, was assigned to represent Whitfield in a misdemeanor burglary case, an unidentified law enforcement source told WFAA.
The two apparently fell in love and began a relationship, although Whitfield would later be held in the county jail for several probation violations.
Ragan Sierra Moreno, 28, was arrested and charged with Abuse of Official Capacity, for allegedly giving her inmate lover sensitive information about her brother’s case. WFAA
Her misdemeanor burglary case was dismissed, and Moreno was no longer representing her at the time he allegedly gave her the documents.
Detectives from the Dallas County Intelligence Bureau said in court documents they were alerted to the illicit relationship when they received a tip on Sept. 9 that Moreno had recently spent time visiting her.
Investigators later found that Moreno and Whitfield had communicated several times, according to his prison phone records, and that Whitfield began calling Moreno using other inmate accounts to evade authorities, WFAA reported.
She allegedly had a relationship with Todd Whitfield, a former client of hers who is being held in the Dallas County Jail on several probation violations.WFAA
The content of these messages was very personal, detectives said, leading them to believe the two were in a relationship.
In a call on Sept. 5, detectives said Whitfield called Moreno as he drove into a covered parking lot next to the Frank Crowley Courthouse building — which is adjacent to the North Tower Detention Facility where he is being held.
During the conversation, Whitfield allegedly told Moreno to look for him in jail – telling him he would wave a towel in front of his cell window.
In one call, Whitfield allegedly told Moreno to look for him in jail – telling him he would wave a towel in front of his cell window. He said he was there to “expose himself to her,” according to court documents.WFAA
Moreno later revealed he was there to “expose himself to her,” according to court documents, but couldn’t because a marked Dallas County Marshal’s vehicle was nearby.
By Sept. 12, investigators say Whitfield called Moreno from jail and asked him to look up his brother’s criminal proceedings and information on previous cases.
According to arrest documents, the attorney then used his county-issued laptop to access a restricted search engine to view criminal records and probable cause affidavits.
Moreno was hired by the Dallas County Public Defender’s Office just eight months ago.LinkedIn
He allegedly revealed to Whitfield the initials of at least three complainants or victims involved in his brother’s assault case and various family violence cases since 2020.
At one point, investigators said, the unidentified brother joined the call as Whitfield and Moreno discussed the complainant in his pending assault involving serious bodily injury case.
Later that day, investigators said Whitfield texted the victim in the pending case, saying he “doesn’t have much longer in jail” and that he “doesn’t care who[se] I love her mama.”
In another message, he allegedly wrote: “I swear before Christ you haven’t met me, but you will and how you meet me is up to you.”
If convicted, the most severe punishment Moreno could face is the loss of his license to practice law in the state of Texas.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
