Paralegal suspected of leaking affidavit in Letecia Stauch murder case, could face jail time

A paralegal for the Brighton City Attorney's Office is facing misdemeanor charges for allegedly leaking an affidavit in the Letecia Stauch murder case.

Stauch, 36, is accused of murdering her stepson Gannon Stauch in late January and hiding his body, then reporting him missing as a runaway to misdirect law enforcement. She was arrested at the beginning of March, five weeks to the day after authorities say the 11-year-old boy was killed.

People across the country became invested in the case, and the lead prosecutor in the Stauch case says he respects the public's desire to know what happened to the young boy. But by releasing the affidavit prematurely, Gannon's parents learned the harrowing details at the same time everyone else did.

"It was our plan with the court’s full cooperation, to present the affidavit to them and answer their questions before they saw it online or in the media. That is a courtesy I’m sure everyone can understand," said Senior Deputy District Attorney Michael Allen. "Unfortunately, Gannon's parents were deprived of that opportunity.

"... That's the worst part of this whole thing, that really it violated the respect that they should be shown as victims in this case."

Sherie Farstveet, 53, faces jail time and a possible fine if she's found guilty of leaking the arrest papers. She is currently on paid administrative leave.

Prosecutors do not think the leak will harm the case they are building but hope this serves as a cautionary tale.

"[The affidavit was sealed] to protect the integrity of the investigation, as it contained information known only to law enforcement and persons involved in that investigation. But it was also sealed to respect Gannon’s parents and relatives," Allen said.

"... I understand and respect the public’s right to know, and I respect the press and the important job that they do. But sometimes information has to be kept close and protected for a reason, and this case and situation might help people understand why."

Below is the statement released by the 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office:

The timeline from the moment Gannon was reported missing to Stauch's arrest:

Monday, Jan. 27

- 6:55 p.m., El Paso County Sheriff's Office dispatch receives call of runaway child, 6600 block of Mandan Drive in the Lorson Ranch neighborhood.

- 7:32 p.m., Gannon Stauch entered into state and national databases as active runaway

- Last seen between 3 and 4 p.m. on the 27th

- Nothing found on initial search

Tuesday, Jan. 28

- 12:29 p.m., case turned over to EPSO investigators

- Detectives conduct interviews, collect surveillance, follow up on additional leads

Wednesday, Jan. 29

- Investigation continues

Thursday, Jan. 30

- Upgrade case from runaway to endangered missing child

- EPSO requests resources from NCMEC and FBI Crimes Abduction Rapid Deployment Team

Friday, Jan. 31

- Letecia Stauch speaks exclusively to 11 News reporter Spencer Wilson

Monday, Feb. 3

- Neighbor comes forward with home surveillance video showing a driver and passenger getting into a truck the day Gannon went missing, and only one person returning hours later.

Wednesday, Feb. 5

- 4th Judicial District Attorney Dan May is first seen at the Stauch home.

Thursday, Feb. 13

- Search for Gannon moves into Douglas County.

Friday, Feb. 21

- Douglas County search suspended. Sheriff's office says there remains the potential for search efforts to start up any time.

Monday, March 2

- Letecia Stauch arrested in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Wednesday, March 4

-Letecia reportedly attacked a deputy and was held in a Kansas jail, according to a source.

Thursday, March 5

-Letecia arrives in Colorado Springs for a video advisement hearing.

Friday, March 20

-Authorities announced they believe they found the remains of Gannon in Florida and file new charges against Letecia.