Probation Officer Falls in Love with Probatee; Covers Up His Crimes
Jennifer Leigh Peters, a former acting director of Community Corrections and Pretrial Services in Lynchburg, VA, has been indicted for offenses stemming from an alleged affair with an inmate.
Peters served as a probation officer from 2007 until 2023, when she became Acting Director of Lynchburg Community Corrections and Pretrial Services (LCCPS), the highest position in the office, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors allege that Peters’s position gave her clearance to access data files on active law enforcement that were unavailable to the public. Some of her access allegedly included Officer of the Court Record Access (OCRA), which allowed her to view public and private court filings and documents. She also reportedly had access to the Records Management System (RMS), which made her one of two LCCPS employees allowed to run searches on individuals.
Webber was put on probation in 2022 and overseen at times by Peters, according to the indictment. In 2023, during Webber’s probationary period, he and Peters allegedly formed a romantic relationship, which she did not disclose to LCCPS.
Between Nov. 8 and Nov. 27, 2023, Webber allegedly used Peters’ RMS access information to look up non-public criminal records on himself and at least 37 other people, according to the indictment.
Between Nov. 11 and Nov. 27, 2023, Webber allegedly recorded himself on video at least 25 times using Peter’s computer to access RMS files, according to the indictment. In at least one of the videos, Peters could allegedly be heard in the background giving Webber instructions on how to enter her credentials.
On Nov. 27, 2023, Peters allegedly entered false probation milestone completions for Webber using another probation officer’s name and then back-dated the entries, according to the indictment. Peters then reportedly wrote a notification on LCCPS letterhead to a Lynchburg General District Court Judge informing them that LCCPS would end Webber’s probation for good behavior. Peters reportedly ordered another pretrial officer to sign it before she submitted it and ended Webber’s probation.
On Nov. 29, 2023, Webber allegedly drove Peter’s car to a hotel where an incident occurred, and the Lynchburg PD was called, according to the indictment. While searching the hotel room, the police found a loaded Glock 38 handgun, a bag of methamphetamine, the keys to Peter’s car and a phone Peters provided Webber, which was seized, according to the DOJ press release. Webber was charged the next day with the unlawful possession of a firearm, and his arrest was ordered.
From Nov. 30 to Dec. 19, 2023, Peters allegedly accessed OCRA files and sent them to Webber, according to the indictment. She also reportedly lied about Webber’s whereabouts and their contact when the U.S. Marshal Service came to her house to search for Webber. Peters then allegedly drove Webber from Virginia to Hughestown, Pa., to help him escape and sent him money at least once while he was there in hiding.
Webber was caught on Jan. 9 in Hughestown, Pa., and on Jan. 11, investigators executed a search warrant for the LCCPS database searches, according to the indictment. The police couldn’t search Peters’ phone because she allegedly caught wind of the search and gave it to a third party, after which she disposed of it in a local landfill. Peters did sit for an interview but allegedly made false statements about her contact and recent actions with Webber.
Peters has been charged with five counts, including making false statements, accessing a protected computer, destroying evidence and conspiracy, according to the DOJ press release. Webber has been charged with two counts of conspiracy and four counts of accessing a protected computer.
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