AUSA Admonished For False Statement To Judge’s Secretary

The District of Columbia Office of Bar Counsel has informally admonished an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of Florida for conduct described in the letter of informal admonition

We find that you violated Florida Rule 4-8.4( c) which prohibits engaging in conduct involving “dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.” This violation occurred when you falsely told a U.S. Magistrate Judge’s secretary that you had obtained prior supervisory review and approval of a tracker warrant application that you were filing with the court, when you had not obtained such review or approval.

In deciding to issue this letter of Informal Admonition rather than institute formal disciplinary charges against you, we have taken into consideration that you took this matter seriously, that you cooperated with our investigation, that you admitted the misconduct soon after it occurred, that you have no prior discipline, and that you have accepted responsibility for your misconduct including by accepting this Informal Admonition.

The full letter may be found at this link by inserting the name of the attorney, Brent S. Tantillo. (Mike Frisch)