Courts Worker Accused Of Witness Intimidation, Plotting With Jailed Boyfriend

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PITTSBURGH (AP/KDKA) - A courts worker who allegedly plotted with her jailed boyfriend to conceal money and pressure his wife to drop charges against him is now facing felony witness intimidation charges.

Pittsburgh Police say Jennifer Busia is also charged with receiving stolen property, stalking and conspiracy.

According to a criminal complaint, Busia and her boyfriend, Danny Vasalech, exchanged almost 90 phone calls in a span of 15 days, starting on Nov. 11, 2017. Vasalech is awaiting trial on charges including rape, child rape and aggravated assault.

In the phone calls, which were recorded by the Allegheny County Jail, Vasalech told Busia to take his car to her house because he had hidden a large sum of cash, a key to his wife's car, and birth certificates and social security cards inside the vehicle.

In one phone call, Busia is allegedly heard saying, "Your wife needs to be put in a hole with her [expletive] mother."

During another phone call, Busia allegedly told Vasalech she was "going to put cement on your wife and mother-in-law's feet." After he reminded her jail calls are recorded, Busia responded, "Oh... sorry."

Busia also allegedly contacted a police officer she knows to ask him to help get Vasalech out of jail. The criminal complaint says Busia can be heard telling Vasalech, "He knows you didn't do this."

Vasalech then allegedly asks Busia to get in touch with a judge.

After listening to the calls, police searched Busia's home and found social security cards, a key to Vasalech's wife's car, birth certificates and more than $92,000 in cash.

Busia cooperated with police while they were searching her house, and she admitted to calling Vasalech's family members. She also admitted she knew Vasalech took the documents from his home without his wife's knowledge.

She denied using her position as a clerk for the Allegheny County Orphan's Court to influence criminal justice officials to reduce Vasalech's bond through unofficial means.

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