A New Jersey paralegal who used a Department of Justice computer to find out who snitched on her son has been charged with multiple felonies. Tawanna Hilliard, 44, pleaded not guilty to witness tampering, obstruction of justice and harassing witnesses.
Prosecutors say Hilliard used her position as a paralegal in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey to look up gang members who snitched on her son, Tyquan Hilliard, 29.
She reportedly uploaded a YouTube video of the suspected “snitch” talking to police.
Tyquan, who is a member of the notorious 5-9 Brims Bloods street gang, was arrested after he and an accomplice, identified only as John Doe, committed armed robbery of an AT&T store in Monticello, New York in May 2018.
The thieves fled with brand new iPhones and iPads worth $3,000, the NY Post reports. They led police on a 125 mph chase before crashing a stolen Jaguar.
Following her son’s arrest, Hilliard complained in a text message that the accomplice was trying to “jam up” her son.
At the request of her son and a senior gang member, she accessed a government database to identify other Bloods gang members who snitched on her son.
According to prosecutors, Hilliard phoned Tyquan, who is serving 10 years in prison, and told him she “looked up” cases on his behalf, the Washington Post reports. The accomplice is receiving death threats in prison, according to the prosecutor.
Hilliard was released on $75,000 bond and warned to have no further contact with her son and to stay off social media.
