LEON COUNTY, Fla. — Former COVID-19 knowledge scientist Rebekah Jones signed a plea deal final week admitting guilt in a pending felony case. In return, the fees in opposition to her might be dropped.
Jones, a former Florida Division of Well being worker who created the state’s COVID-19 portal, was charged with accessing a state laptop system with out authorization. As a part of the plea deal, Jones mentioned she admitted to having a well being division roster on her laptop and agreed to pay $20,000 for the price of a police investigation.
The settlement delays prosecution for 2 years and contains six circumstances, together with paying $20,000 to reimburse the Florida Division of Regulation Enforcement for its investigation prices and admitting guilt.
If Jones meets circumstances and isn’t arrested for one more crime through the two-year interval, prosecutors will drop the fees with out Jones having to enter a responsible plea within the case formally.
Jones was charged within the case after state legislation enforcement brokers searched her dwelling on a warrant in December 2020 amid her controversial firing that made nationwide information.
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Prosecutors alleged Jones accessed a state laptop system with out authorization and despatched a mass textual content calling on state workers to talk out in opposition to Florida’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By that time, Jones had turn out to be a well known critic of Gov. Ron DeSantis and had filed a whistleblower grievance after being fired from the Florida Division of Well being 5 months earlier. Jones mentioned she was fired as a result of she refused to govern COVID-19 case knowledge throughout a second when states had been working to reopen after the primary stretches of the pandemic.
A state inspector generalreport launched earlier this yr on Jones’ whistleblower allegations discovered no proof of wrongdoing by the Florida Division of Well being.
Jones’ grievance with the Florida Human Relations Fee alleging that her firing was retaliation was closed after the fee discovered “cheap trigger” for her termination.
Jones ran for Congress earlier this yr as a Democrat in search of to unseat Rep. Matt Gaetz within the Republican stronghold of Northwest Florida. Gaetz simply received reelection with 68% of the vote.
Over the weekend, Jones took to social media calling studies she admitted guilt false. In a video posted to her YouTube account, she mentioned she had solely admitted to having a Division of Well being roster on her non-public laptop.
FROM JONES’ 2020 FIRING:Florida’s scientist was fired for refusing to ‘manipulate’ COVID-19 knowledge
“There was no responsible plea. There was no plea of any variety as a result of it was a dismissal. The case is being dropped,” Jones mentioned in a video revealed on her YouTube channel on Sunday.
Jones was beforehand supplied a plea deal however turned it down after objecting to the circumstances.
Jones mentioned she signed final week’s settlement as a result of she plans to return to high school for her Ph.D.
“I am bored with feeling like I am suffocating as a result of I’ve obtained the state’s knee on my again,” Jones mentioned. “And at any second, for any motive, jaywalking or no matter excuse they need to have, they will simply re-arrest me and hold me indefinitely. This has gone on for 2 years.”
Different particular circumstances Jones should meet as a part of the settlement embody paying a $100 payment to the State Lawyer’s Workplace, returning all Florida Division of Well being property unique of public data, 150 hours of group service at a minimal of 13 hours per week and that she see a licensed psychological well being skilled for no less than one hour per week.
