Former Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office Employee Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice

PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court for obstruction of justice, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab sentenced Erika Romanowski, 41, to serve one day in prison, followed by six months (180 days) of home detention and three years of supervised release. Romanowski was also ordered to complete 100 hours of community service.

In connection with her prior guilty plea, entered on November 14, 2018, Romanowski admitted that while employed as a clerk with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), she had access to sensitive law enforcement information, including information related to ongoing federal investigations with which ACSO assisted. Romanowski further admitted that, between in and around February 2018 and in and around April 2018, she disclosed non-public, sensitive law enforcement information to two personal associates, Jewell Hall and Joelle Hollis, in an effort to protect Hall from investigation and prosecution by federal authorities. The court was further advised that Hall and Hollis were targets of an ongoing federal grand jury investigation focused on the criminal activities of a drug trafficking organization—the Greenway Boy Killas (GBK)—which operated in the West End neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Romanowski further admitted that during the course of an interview with Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on June 20, 2018, she repeatedly lied about having disclosed non-public, sensitive law enforcement information to Hall and Hollis.

On June 12, 2018, Hall, Hollis, and 14 other defendants were charged in a four-count indictment, alleging various serious drug offenses. That case currently is pending before Judge Schwab.

Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Romanowski, with assistance from the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office.