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Brooklyn Prosecutor Allegedly Wiretapped Cop Love Interest's Cell Phone
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Nov 29, 2016
Modified Nov 29, 2016
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By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Nov 29, 2016
Modified Nov 29, 2016
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A Brooklyn assistant district attorney was arrested this week for allegedly wiretapping two cell phones so she could hear conversations between a cop love interest and another woman.
According to a criminal complaint, Tara Lenich, 41, forged judges' signatures to authorize the wiretapping of the aforementioned unidentified cop's cell phone, as well as a phone belonging to an unidentified woman. Lenich, who was a deputy with the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau at the DA's office, may have been romantically attached to the cop, and tabloid reports speculate the wiretapped woman was his new love interest.
The complaint says Lenich forged warrants related to the wiretapping at least 20 times, using different judges' names, between August 20, 2015 and November 25, 2016. Lenich allegedly called the wiretapping a "secret outside investigation" when discussing it with colleagues.
Lenich was arrested at her office on Monday, and investigators had obtained a search warrant for her apartment. A source told the Post that one of the wiretappings caught the tapped cop threatening Lenich, and he has since been placed on modified duty. Lenich, meanwhile, lost her job.
"As soon as these allegations were uncovered, we conducted a swift and thorough investigation, immediately terminated the employee and ordered a comprehensive review of our protocols and procedures to make sure that this abuse of authority never happens again," a spokesperson for the Brooklyn DA’s Office told Gothamist in a statement.
Lenich was charged with eavesdropping and criminal possession of a forged instrument, and her bail was set last night at $25K. She will be back in court on January 30th.
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brooklyn da's office
cop
wiretapping
Rebecca Fishbein
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