AURORA | The former Arapahoe County Department of Human Services employee who has been charged with making a false allegation of child abuse against Aurora City Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon.
Robin Niceta is accused of retaliating against an elected official, a sixth-degree felony, and making a false report of child abuse as a mandatory reporter, a second-degree misdemeanor.
Appearing virtually in Arapahoe County Judge Ben Leutwyler’s courtroom, Niceta entered a not guilty plea and is scheduled to go to trial beginning May 9. She will be required to appear in court in person in March for a motions hearing.
On Monday morning, Jurinsky posted about the court hearing on social media.
“This woman, I believe, tried to destroy my family and hurt me in the worst way possible by coming after my son,” she wrote. “Court today at 1:30 in Arapahoe County and I’m told to prepare that she will be pleading NOT GUILTY. We will go to trial and Robin, I will not stop coming for justice!”
Niceta is accused of anonymously calling her employer, which is responsible for investigating child abuse allegations, and claiming that Jurinsky had sexually abused her own son. The claim was determined to be unfounded after an investigation and the call was traced back to a phone number belonging to Niceta, according to court documents.
Niceta is the ex-partner of former Aurora police chief Vanessa Wilson, who Jurinsky heavily criticized after joining city council last fall, including during an appearance on KNUS host Steffan Tubb’s radio show in January where she said that Wilson was “trash” and needed to be removed.
Jurinsky has alleged that Niceta’s false report was made in retaliation for those comments. According to court documents, Niceta’s call was made on Jan. 28, the day after Jurinsky’s appearance on Tubbs’ program.
Along with the criminal case, Jurinsky is also involved in a class action lawsuit against Arapahoe County, alleging that there is a culture of misconduct in the county’s human services department.
“What happened to me was not an isolated incident,” she said during an August news conference announcing the suit.
In a statement, then Arapahoe County spokesperson Luc Hatlestad said the county was “equally appalled and concerned as our community is about the alleged criminal actions of Robin Niceta” but was not aware of any evidence of widespread misconduct by caseworkers.
CM Jurinsky- I’m sorry for happened to you but to continue with your social media commentary serves no useful purpose, does it?
Please let the prosecutors and your attorneys do their jobs without interference and such grandstanding.