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http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/lake/30443525-418/court-officer-accused-of-shaking-down-clients-in-hammond-city-court.html
Court officer accused of shaking down clients in Hammond City Court

Post-Tribune Staff Report October 14, 2014 4:54PM

Updated: October 15, 2014 2:05AM


A state-certified court interpreter has been charged in Lake Superior Court with forgery, theft and official misconduct for allegedly shaking down clients and dismissing cases in Hammond City Court without authority.

Elsa Melgarejo, 39, of Highland, was charged with taking $900 from six Spanish-speaking clients and filing documents in Hammond City Court that purported to dispose of five of the six cases between January 2012 and December 2013.

The clients told Hammond police Detective Mark Detterline that they gave Melgarejo money, at her direction, to have their cases disposed. One 41-year-old Hammond woman told police that Melgarejo said she could pay a $100 fine and wouldn’t have to go to court on charges of driving without a valid license and without financial responsibility. About two weeks later, the woman told police she met Melgarejo at a fruit market and gave her $160 in cash. She asked Melgarejo for a receipt because she didn’t want any problems, and Melgarejo told her it was all taken care of and there wouldn’t be any problems, court records state.

Another client said he was at court on Jan. 7, 2013, when Melgarejo called his name to come forward. After they walked out of the courtroom, Melgarejo told him if he had $100 his case would be dismissed. The man went downstairs, withdrew $100 from the ATM, signed a piece of paper and handed it and the cash to Melgarejo. She told him he was on probation for three months and to stay out of trouble.

Another client said he told Melgarejo he wanted to delay his court appearance for one week to get his work permit. Melgarejo told the man he could pay her for the ticket and he wouldn’t have to go to court, then handed him a card with her name and phone number on the back. Later that day, Melgarejo came to his residence to collect $130 in cash, court records state.

One of the clients told police he paid $290 to Melgarejo for a pretrial diversion agreement. After he requested a receipt, the man told police Melgarejo wrote “290.00” on his agreement, file-stamped it with the court’s stamp and gave it back to the man.

Hammond City Judge Jeffrey Harkin said Melgarejo had no authority to accept money in any of the cases and made unauthorized docket entries showing that cases were dismissed, court records state.

Melgarejo, who also translated in Lake Superior Court-Criminal Division courtrooms in Crown Point, was certified through the Indiana Supreme Court as a Spanish interpreter, according to the State Court Administration website.

Melgarejo, who is free on $4,000 cash bond, faces two to eight years on the forgery charge, and up to three years on theft and official misconduct counts.