File 023125
Epstein Prosecutor's Former Top Aide Defends Alexander Acosta's Plea Deal Decision (File 023125)
Jeffrey Sloman, former second-in-command prosecutor under Alexander Acosta, publishes opinion piece defending the secret plea deal that allowed Jeffrey Epstein to avoid a potential life sentence in federal prison.
Summary
In a Miami Herald opinion piece, Jeffrey Sloman defends Alexander Acosta's controversial decision to negotiate a secret immunity plea deal with Jeffrey Epstein in 2008. Sloman argues that prosecutors faced significant legal obstacles, including victim reluctance to cooperate due to fear, and that the deal was fashioned only after extensive internal debate. The article addresses criticisms that Acosta's office kowtowed to Epstein's high-priced defense lawyers, while acknowledging in hindsight that harsher terms should have been pursued. Sloman notes that Epstein received unusually generous work-release privileges while serving 13 months in county jail, and that the non-prosecution agreement was kept secret from victims, some of whom filed federal lawsuits challenging the deal a decade later.
Saturday, February 16, 2019 VIRGIN ISLANDS The Virgin Islands Daily News 7Top aide of Epstein prosecutor in sex case defends former bossViet Fil!riaCirWN In a lengthyopinion piece sub- Jeffrey H. Sloman — ecutors. led by Acosta, stitched together said, some have mistakenly suggestedan unusual immunity deal that allowed till our office kowtowed to Epstein,mined to the Ma' who at the time was Epstein to escape what could have been high-priced defense lawyers or, worse,MIAMI — A former top prosecutor ami Herald Edito- a life sentence in federal prison. thrt his lawyers commted or intim.,irnolved in die Jeffrey Epstein sex case rial Board, Sloman second in command Instead, Epstein — whose friends .1ns into submission ... nothing couldis defendkig ha old boss. Alexander I alleges Ma sena, under Alexander Acosta included President Donald Tnimp, Bill be further from the truth:.Acosta, whose decision to craft a secret ny of Acosta, role Clinton and other politically connected Sloman did not directly address dieplea deal with the wealthy New York in the controversia, at the U.S. Attorney's peopie — was allowed to quietly plead chief complaint brought by Epstein,hedge fithd manager has come tinder case is bekig fu- office in Miami _ said guilty to prostitution charges in state victims, who arc now in their late 20sfederal scmtiny. eled by politically court. Ile served 13 months in the and early 30s. Those who spoke to dieEpstein, who also has homes in Palm Jeffrey et. tem motivated critics prosecutors resolved county jail, where he was allowed I. Herald said they felt betrayed by federalBeach. Fla., and New York, lives en th comae based on the who failed to mise eral work release privileges rarely given prosecutors, who sealed the non-pros-In his first piblic comments on the radii t signant issues ,with it when Acos- facts a nd evidence, an. by the Palm Beach Sheriffs Depart- so diat they wouldn't find out about it. to soc offenders in Florida and baffed ecution agreement from public viewLitde St James Island off St Thomas.10-year-old case, Jeffrey II. Sloman ta was nominated what he called "legal ment, own rules. before he was sentenced It would betors rem,. die case based on the factsney's Office in Miami — said prosecu- iWfl, the us. seem, impediments," includingof labor in 2017.Sloman, com- the belief that many of anis— who were 13 to 16 years old at ful in having it unsealed. By then, it wasa decade later to have his non-prosecu- They allege, in a federal lawsuit filedthe time — arc still fighting more than too late to try to derail it.— who at die time was second in con, and confirmed as He was release. 2., but his vic- almost a year before they were success-mend under Acosm at the U.S. Attor-and evidence, and what he calleekgal i\—) mans conie om, Jeffrey Epstein's tion agreement overturned. against the government, that prosecu-impediments:. including the belief that weeks after die teenage victims were In his op-ed, Sloman called Acosta tors deliberately kept the deal secretniany of Epstein, teenage victims were Al exand er Justice nDeounart- "an outstarxling public servant ... at — in violation of federal law — to ,too..terrified.. to cooperate in the case. Acosta n nt need to 0 " t e r r if i e d " to risk of becoming collateral damage in vent them from appearing at Epstein,..Given the obstacles we facer, it'had rpened an cooperate in the case. Washington's latest polarized confb- sentencing to possibly undo the deal.fashioning a robust federal proseciaion, investigation into whether there was gration," adding, '1 won't let it hap, Nor did Sloman address why prosecu-we decided to negotiate a resolution:. prosecumrial misconduct in the case in- without fest being heard.' tors also gave immunity to a numbersaid Slonmm now in private practice. waiving Epstein, who ran a sex pyramid About 30 members of Congrcss de- 'As additional details about Epstein, of Epstein, co-conspirators, who have"We did not reach this decision lightly scheme from his Palm Beach estate nvmded the probe following a Miami crimes Imam emerged, it is clear to me never been identified.and it came only after significant and that mrgeted scores of underage girls I lemld series of stories, 'Perversion of that we should have pushed for muchoften rancorous internal debate:. from 2001 to 2006. Justice," that detailed how federal pros- harsher ternis," Sloman wrote. "That See EPSTEIN, page 8