Worker accused of leaking search warrants indicted

CRIME & THE COURTS

CINCINNATI — Ohio authorities said Thursday a longtime clerk of courts employee has been fired and now faces felony charges alleging she leaked confidential information from search warrants that allowed potential law enforcement targets to be warned.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters announced the grand jury action Thursday, a week after police reported that Yakyma Boyd, 45, and an acquaintance who is a drug suspect had been arrested. She was indicted on two counts of tampering with records, and one count each of bribery, obstructing justice, theft in office and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

Deters said Boyd was paid about $1,000 per search warrant. Police have said they are still investigating the extent of the case.”Officers could have been seriously hurt or killed if their potential targets were tipped off to details of the investigation,” Deters said.

Her attorney, Clyde Bennett II, has said Boyd will fight the allegations.

The Hamilton County clerk of courts, Aftab Pureval, said the 22-year employee was fired and that changes are being made to better safeguard search warrants and to increase employee training. He became clerk in January.

“That an employee of the clerk’s office would use sensitive information for criminal activity, that she would endanger law enforcement, is sickening to me,” Pureval said in a statement. “It is a violation of the public trust.”

Also indicted was Ernest Bryant, 49. He’s charged with records tampering, bribery, obstructing justice, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, two cocaine-related counts and a weapons charge. No attorney was listed for him in court records.