Former Greene County PD accused of wiretap conspiracy
news@greenecountymessenger.com
An attorney who had developed a romantic relationship with an inmate at the Washington County jail is accused of conspiring to allow him to listen in to a private phone call she had with his new lawyer last month.
Kimberly Ann Furmanek was arrested June 16 in Greensburg, where she had just started a new job as a Westmoreland County public defender, and arraigned by District Judge Kelly Stewart on felony charges of intercepting communications and conspiracy.
Furmanek, 34, of Richhill Township, Greene County, is accused of allowing John Quentin Lazear to eavesdrop on her phone call with his new defense attorney, James Jeffries, in May. Lazear is being held at the Washington County jail as he awaits trial on three separate drug cases in which Furmanek at one point represented him.
Furmanek was no longer permitted to visit the jail or make phone calls beginning in December, but Washington County detectives wrote in charging documents that she would still call Lazear often using aliases and different phone numbers.
“She was banned from the jail due to inappropriate conduct (and) banned from calling,” Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said without elaborating on the reason why. “We definitely know she has a relationship with her prior client (who’s) obviously an inmate.”
It’s not known when Furmanek and Lazear developed a relationship or why exactly she was barred from visiting the jail.
Furmanek allegedly used two cellphones – one to call Lazear in the jail and the other to speak with Jeffries – and placed them next to each other so the inmate could listen to the conversation on May 6, according to court documents. Investigators reviewed recordings from the jail’s phone system and confirmed with Jeffries that he was unaware that Lazear was listening. The wiretapping charges were filed because, in effect, the conversations were being taped since an inmate was on the call.
“They speak constantly, and through the course of the investigation, these phone calls were heard,” Walsh said.
Court Administrator Patrick Grimm confirmed she was terminated as the county’s conflict counsel Dec. 7. A conflict counsel typically handles cases for defendants who want to use a public defender, but there is a conflict of interest that does not allow it, leading to another attorney being appointed. Grimm declined to elaborate on why Furmanek was terminated, citing personnel reasons.
According to online court documents, Furmanek requested Lazear be transferred to the Greene County jail during a Nov. 29 hearing before Judge Valarie Costanzo, who denied the motion. Furmanek was fired from her job as conflict counsel eight days later and Jeffries was appointed to represent Lazear on Dec. 10. Jeffries withdrew as Lazear’s attorney on June 8, and two days later he was interviewed by investigators about the phone conversation he had with Furmanek that was overheard by his client.
“I was very surprised and very disappointed that that happened,” Jeffries said during a brief phone interview with a reporter, although he declined to discuss the specifics of the case.
Lazear, 38, of Houston, is facing similar wiretapping charges, along with an additional misdemeanor of terroristic threats for threatening comments he allegedly made toward Jeffries. Rose Semple, who was appointed last week to represent Lazear in the drug cases, said she could not comment on the most recent charges.
Furmanek worked in the Greene County public defender’s office for two years before leaving in late 2018, although she had been appointed to assist the defense in some cases there as recently as last month. She also had just taken a position last week as a public defender in Westmoreland County. Wayne McGrew, who oversees that office, could not be reached for comment.
Walsh said they’re continuing to investigate, but declined to say if more charges will be filed in the case. Furmanek, who is being held at the Washington County jail on $25,000 cash bond, is scheduled to appear for her preliminary before Stewart at 1 p.m. June 29.