Jasper Mills Charged for Releasing Confidential Information on Cooperating Witness, Resulting in Death Threats and a Slashing
New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced the arrest and indictment of Jasper Mills, a criminal defense attorney who unlawfully shared confidential witness information in a homicide trial, which ultimately led to a cooperating witness being threatened and attacked in a federal prison. Mills, a former Albany County prosecutor, was indicted for violating an Albany County protective order, which prohibited him from providing any copies of discovery material that listed witness names, including a sensitive list naming two cooperating witnesses. Shortly after Mills shared the sensitive witness list, a cooperating witness was threatened in federal prison and later slashed with a knife, which required a hospital stay for his wounds. Mills was charged with five crimes, including Intimidating a Witness and Tampering with a Witness, and was arraigned today in Albany County Court.
Jasper Mills, a criminal defense attorney, faces five charges, including intimidating a witness and tampering with a witness, after allegedly violating a court protective order by sharing a sensitive witness list in a gang-related homicide case. Attorney General Letitia James and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced the indictment on Tuesday. (see full indictment below)
New York v Jasper Mills Indictment Indictments 2025 by BLACK WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE
“Witness intimidation corrupts our justice system and prevents victims of crimes from getting justice with a fair trial,” said AG James. “Jasper Mills allegedly shared witness information that put lives in danger, and my office will hold him accountable. I will not tolerate any illegal tactics that jeopardize criminal investigations and put New Yorkers at risk.”
“This investigation underscores our commitment to protecting witnesses and holding individuals accountable when their actions jeopardize public safety and the justice system,” said Superintendent James.
Mills represented Vramir Branch, one of four defendants charged in the January 2021 gang-related murder of 32-year-old Shanita Thomas. Judge Roger McDonough issued a protective order on Oct. 27, 2022, specifically prohibiting Mills from providing his client any documents containing witness names or personal information.
On June 3, 2024, the judge ordered prosecutors to provide a witness list naming two cooperating witnesses to the defense attorneys. That night, an assistant district attorney emailed the list to all defense attorneys with a reminder that protective orders prohibited sharing copies with their clients.
Two days later, on June 5, 2024, a cooperating witness incarcerated at FCI Ray Brook in Lake Placid was approached by several armed inmates who threatened to kill him unless he left their housing unit. The attackers told him they knew he had “turned state witness.” The witness fled to a correction lieutenant’s office and was moved to protective custody.
An investigation uncovered that a witness list that contained Mills’ distinctive markings was released on social media, including Snapchat. A second copy of the witness list that also contained Mills’ distinctive markings was circulated via text message. However, the protective order barring Mills from providing any hard copies of the discovery was still in effect.
On September 8, 2024, the cooperating witness was attacked again while in protective custody. The attackers stated they knew the cooperator was a witness and the cooperator was slashed on the wrist with a prison shiv, which required hospitalization due to infection.
In addition to the witness list that was circulating on social media, Mills delivered a hard drive with other information on it to Branch at Albany County Correctional Facility on April 8, 2024. The hard drive contained multiple documents that Mills was prohibited from providing to his client, including the names and quotes from various eyewitnesses to the Shanita Thomas homicide that were used for various search warrant affidavits.
Mills is charged with Criminal Contempt in the Second Degree, Intimidating a Witness in the First Degree, Intimidating a Witness in the Second Degree, Tampering with a Witness in the First Degree, and Tampering with a Witness in the Second Degree. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of eight and one-third to twenty-five years in jail.
Mills was arraigned on Tuesday, December 30th, in Albany Supreme Court. The charges in the indictments are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The investigation was conducted by the New York State Police.
The prosecution is being handled by Senior Counsel Mary Gorman and Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Kyriacou, under the supervision of Public Integrity Bureau Chief Gerard Murphy, with assistance from Legal Support Analyst Samantha Shaughnessy. The Public Integrity Bureau is part of the Division for Criminal Justice. The Division for Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
