An Iowa woman has pleaded guilty to unlawfully using a former Department of Justice contractor’s government computer to access government records and to obtain sensitive, non-public law enforcement information.

According to admissions made in connection with her guilty plea, 33-year old Rachel Manna, of West Des Moines, was acquainted with Danielle Taff, who was employed as a contractor paralegal by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa. Taff was assigned to the office’s Civil Division, where she worked exclusively on matters related to civil forfeiture and was neither required nor authorized to access files and information related to the district’s investigation and prosecution of criminal cases.

Manna admitted that in the spring of 2018, she asked Taff to obtain non-public information about certain defendants in a criminal investigation and prosecution being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. As a result, on or about May 16, 2018, Taff used her U.S. Department of Justice computer to access criminal files stored on the district’s shared electronic data storage drive, including reports of law enforcement interviews with at least two individuals who cooperated with the district in a drug-trafficking investigation. Taff then used her cell phone to take approximately 30 photographs of the sensitive, non-public documents related to the drug-trafficking investigation.

After photographing the documents, Taff shared them with Manna, who subsequently shared the photographs with several individuals on Facebook. As a result, in October 2018, other individuals posted those photographs to a Facebook group dedicated to outing “snitches,” or law enforcement cooperators, in the Des Moines region. Among other sensitive information, the photographs taken by Taff and subsequently posted on Facebook identified at least two cooperators in the drug-trafficking investigation by name and other personal identifiers.

Taff pleaded guilty in November 2020 for her role in the scheme. Sentencing for Manna is scheduled for June 4.

The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Chicago Field Division, is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Erica O’Brien Waymack and Matthew Palmer-Ball of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.

UPDATE 3/11/21 – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday), said with regard to an odd call some have received in the County, they were informed that the call was a legitimate call from Cass County Public Health, regarding whether the receiver of the call is eligible for the COVID Vaccine. Therefore, it is not a scam, just something the Sheriff’s Office was notaware of. Authorities say “Don’t be afraid to answer calls from Cass County. If someone is asking about money or computer information, or for money for a family member in jail, that would be a scam.”

Original Post 3/10/21:

Official with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office say they had a report of an odd call that starts out automated, and says “This is Cass County. Please press 1.”(or whatever number). Then the automated voice says, “Thank you. Goodbye.” While this sounds similar to phone calls that are outgoing from the jail, unless the person knows someone who is in jail, they would probably be confused.

Officials say they don’t think it’s a scam, exactly, but it’s not clear what exactly it is in reference too. They just want people to be aware of these occurrences.

The Iowa Department of Public Heath Wednesday, reported on the Coronavirus dashboard, an additional 883 positive COVID-19 test results, for a pandemic total of 368,636.  There were also 27 additional deaths reported, for a statewide total of 5,601. There was one additional death reported in each of Cass, Adair and Pottawattamie Counties. Long-Term Care facility deaths account for 2,195 of the State’s total number of deaths.

The number of Long-Term Care facility COVID-19 Outbreaks is down to six. Three less than before. Hospitalization  statistics are down again, with 173 Iowans hospitalized with COVID, compared to 179 previously. The number of COVID patients in an ICU is up six, to 39. There were five more patients admitted to hospitals over the 24-hour reporting period, for a total of 22, and 10 patients are on a ventilator.

Hospitals in Western & Southwest Iowa report: 15 people are hospitalized for COVID; seven are in an ICU, no one with COVID symptoms was admitted over the past 24-hours, and one person was on a ventilator.

State data shows 916,360 vaccine doses have been administered in Iowa, with 293,783 individuals fully vaccinated. Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate remains 4.1%, but the seven-day positivity rate was up a tick, to 4.2%.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

• Cass, 1,372 cases; {+2}; 52 deaths
• Adair, 933; {+0}; 31
• Adams, 327 {+1}; 4
• Audubon, 494 {+1}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,180 {+0}; 28
• Harrison County, 1,802; {+2}; 70
• Madison County, 1,596; {+1}; 18
• Mills County, 1,646; {+6}; 20
• Montgomery, 1,046; {+0}; 36
• Pottawattamie County, 10,911; {+22}; 148
• Shelby County, 1,240; {+8}; 34
• Union County,  1,274; {+4}; 31

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report two recent arrests. Tuesday afternoon, 55-year old Edward Eugene Johnson, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody in Council Bluffs. Johnson was wanted on a warrant for Violation of Parole. And, 19-year old Michael Lee Noel, of Council Bluffs, was arrested during a warrant check at a residence in Council Bluffs. Noel faces charges that include Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree (damage under $300), Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 2nd offense, and Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $1,300.

A man who was arrested last week for his alleged role in the robbery of a bank in Scranton, also faces felony drug charges in Carroll County. Authorities says 26-year-old Tyler Scott Mattingly, of Carroll, was taken into custody March 3rd, on an outstanding felony warrant for controlled substance violations,and an aggravated misdemeanor charge of driving while barred.

The charges stem from an investigation into an accident that took place January 2nd, near Arcadia. Authorities allege a container with nearly 41 grams of methamphetamine was located inside the vehicle Mattingly was driving when the crash occurred. Several small plastic bags were also found inside the car.

At last report, Mattingly remained in custody at the Carroll County Jail on a $25,000 bond. He also faces charges in Greene County for allegedly aiding and abetting 27 year old Zachary Michael Anderson Wailes, of Fort Dodge, during the February 25th robbery of People’s Bank in Scranton.  His bond is set at $75,000 on charges of first-degree robbery, a class B felony and first-degree theft, a class  C felony.

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A Crawford County man charged with Felony Drug Possession, is scheduled to appear at his trial that begins April 27th with the selection of a jury. His pretrial conference is set for April 14. Court records show 28-year-old Brandon Lee Schechinger, of Manilla, faces a Felony drug possession charge. Schechinger faces one count of third-offense possession of methamphetamine, a class D felony.  The charges stems from a traffic stop on Sept. 29, 2020 by the Carroll Police Department. Authorities located a baggie containing methamphetamine residue in the backseat of the car along with several glass smoking devices.

Schechinger has entered a written plea of not guilty. A class D felony in Iowa carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and $7,500 in fines.