Court clerk admits mishandling confidential docs

One of two former Riverside County Superior Court clerks indicted for mishandling privileged information connected to a criminal case pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit a crime.

Michelle Valdez, 59, of Thousand Palms admitted the felony count in a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office. No charges were dismissed.

The admission was made during a pretrial hearing Monday before Superior Court Judge Joshlyn Pulliam at the Riverside Hall of Justice. Valdez's plea comes just over a week after her co-defendant and ex colleague, 48-year-old Angela Franz of Thousand Palms, admitted the same charge before Pulliam.

The judge scheduled a sentencing hearing for Franz on Dec. 2, while Valdez is slated for sentencing on Jan. 22.   

Both women are expected to receive probation. Each is free on bond.   

According to the District Attorney's Office, the two were assigned to the Larson Justice Center in Indio when the offense occurred in January 2020.   

Prosecutors said that a law enforcement officer submitted a search warrant request and asked that the documents remain under seal due to confidentiality concerns and to prevent the investigation from being compromised.   

A judge signed the warrant the same day and ordered it sealed, according to the D.A.'s office.

"Franz pulled the warrant from the court system, printed it, and then provided it to Valdez,'' according to an agency statement released after the indictment was unsealed. "Both defendants had been court clerks for several years and would know that reviewing, printing and sharing a sealed court document in this manner would be against the law."  

A possible motive was not disclosed.  

The case was taken before the 19-member county grand jury in June 2022, resulting in the indictment against both women, neither of whom had prior misdemeanor or felony convictions.

They are no longer employed by the Superior Court.