Former Dodge County Attorney Sentenced To Prison For Harassment Of Estranged Wife's Boyfriend

From Nebraska Examiner:

By Paul Hammel

February 18, 2023

LINCOLN — The former Dodge County attorney has been sentenced to nine months in prison for using his elected position to carry out a personal vendetta.

Oliver Glass, 47, who had served as county attorney for 10 years until his resignation in 2021, was sentenced Friday in federal court for conspiracy to commit deprivation of rights under color of law.

The charge stemmed from Glass’ efforts to have local law enforcement surveil, unlawfully stop and arrest the boyfriend of his estranged wife between March 2020 and December 2020.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said it was clear that Glass abused the power of his elected office to “carry out a personal vendetta.”

‘Breached the public trust’

Besides the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Robert Rossiter ordered Glass to a 1-year term of supervised release and to pay a $3,000 fine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Omaha.

“You were an attorney; you took an oath. You were a prosecutor; you took an oath. You were the elected County Attorney; you took an oath,” Rossiter told Glass during his sentencing. “You broke those oaths. You breached the public trust.”

Glass, who was elected twice during his 10 years in office, used his restricted access to federal criminal sentencing records to look up the background of the boyfriend.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, a supervisor in the Fremont Police Department then relayed information about the boyfriend’s residence and vehicle and asked officers to “be on the lookout” for him because he was dating the county attorney’s wife, who had filed for divorce.

‘Constant state of fear’

The boyfriend, whose name was not released, testified in court that the stalking instigated by Glass left him in a “constant state of fear” and mental anguish.

“No one should have to endure that kind of terror,” the man said. “Of not knowing whether the ‘good guys’ are really ‘good’ just because they wear the uniform. Or, wondering if today is the day you will be framed or falsely arrested just to demonstrate the reach Mr. Glass had.”

U.S. Attorney Steven Russell said that Glass’s action had undermined the public’s trust in the criminal justice system. He expressed hope that the sentence would restore some trust.

“While the prosecutor at his best is one of the most beneficent forces in our society, when he acts from malice or other base motives, he is one of the worst,” Russell said.

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