A woman who allegedly tried to bribe a juror in the midst of her trial last week in Boulder was picked up early today by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers as she tried to enter in Canada.
Boulder Sheriff’s Commander Rick Brough said Darine Chely is being held at the Clinton County Detention Center in the northeast corner of New York state.
Last week, an arrest warrant was issued for Chely on charges of bribing a juror, juror tampering and failure to appear for the last day of her trial.
Her bond has been set at $575,000, said Brough.
According to an arrest affidavit, Chely, on trial for being in possession of a weapon by a previous offender, placed a note underneath a notebook belonging to alternate juror Eric Acord during a recess.
The note said, “Eric, please don’t find me guilty. I will pay $5,000. I am very frightened. Please don’t give this to anyone.”
Investigators said Acord told them that he noticed Chely constantly staring at him during the trial.
When jurors left for the day on April 20, Chely had told Acord, “Goodbye.”
According to the arrest affidavit, when Acord returned the next day, Chely said “Hello” to him.
When Acord returned to his seat from the mid-morning break on April 21, he discovered the handwritten note on his seat under his notepad. Acord read it, placed it in his pocket and at the next recess informed the judge of the note.
During the subsequent investigation, a lawyer told officers that he had seen Chely in the jury box during the break.
Chely has previous arrests for fraud, larceny, assault, contempt of court and perjury.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
