A former Arapahoe County social worker who lied about having brain cancer to avoid prosecution for filing a false child abuse report against an Aurora city councilwoman was sentenced to probation and a suspended prison sentence Friday.
Robin Niceta pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to influence a public servant, forgery and evidence tampering, all felonies, as well as two counts of misdemeanor forgery and criminal impersonation in October.
Niceta will not serve prison time in the case if she completes three years of probation, according to the 18th Judicial District.
Niceta, 42, is incarcerated at in Pueblo for filing a false report against Councilwoman in January 2022 after Jurinsky criticized Niceta’s then-partner — Vanessa Wilson, who was Aurora’s embattled police chief at the time — on a talk radio show.
During the case, Niceta’s attorney tried to delay the trial and have her competency evaluated, claiming she was terminally ill and including reports from a New Mexico oncologist who allegedly diagnosed her with glioblastoma.
But law enforcement found the oncologist did not exist, the doctor’s office Facebook page and phone number were linked to Niceta and the MRI scans could be found online.
Niceta was sentenced to four years in prison in that case in May and is expected to be eligible for parole in January, according to Colorado Department of Corrections records. Her next parole hearing is set for October.
Jurinsky told The Denver Post she was completely disheartened by Niceta’s sentence, particularly because Niceta pleaded guilty to more felony charges in the cancer scheme case but received no prison time.
“I find this devastating, particularly for the people of Colorado. This is supposed to be representative of justice but itap not,” she said. “This is not justice.”
An attorney for Niceta, David Lindsey, said Saturday that they were “happy with the outcome” of the hearing and had no plans to appeal the sentence.
