U.S. prosecutors reassigned
MIAMI (AP) – Two federal prosecutors are being reassigned for their roles in the secret tape recording of a defense attorney and his investigator, an incident the Justice Department said in court papers it “deeply regrets” because internal safeguards were not followed.
Karen Gilbert has voluntarily stepped down as chief of the narcotics section of the Miami U.S. attorney’s office, according to a court filing dated Wednesday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Cronin requested and was granted a transfer out of the criminal division.
The document shows that U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta last week held a mandatory meeting of all supervisors in his sprawling district “not only to relay what happened in this case but to re-emphasize the seriousness of their supervisory responsibilities.”
Acosta’s office handles federal cases in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, the Florida Keys, West Palm Beach and Fort Pierce.
The defense lawyer involved, David O. Markus, wants a federal judge to order the government to pay his fees and costs for representing Dr. Ali Shaygan in an alleged illegal prescription case. Earlier this month, Shaygan was acquitted of all 141 counts.