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She is under investigation for the handling of the case, but the move is called unrelated.
By DONG-PHUONG NGUYEN
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 2, 2001
TAMPA -- Rachelle DesVaux Bedke, one of two federal prosecutors being investigated for the failed prosecution of Steve and Marlene Aisenberg, has been transferred from the office's criminal division.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Bedke's move to the economic crimes division has no connection to the Aisenberg case. Her salary will remain the same.
"It was totally unrelated," said U.S. attorney spokesman Steve Cole. "It was a career move for her."
Bedke said she's excited about her new assignment.
"They asked me if I was interested, and I said, 'Sure,' " Bedke said. "It's going to be a great experience working on some larger, more sophisticated cases."
Bedke's transfer comes two weeks after the lead prosecutor in the Aisenberg case, Stephen Kunz, was demoted from deputy chief of the criminal division, a position he had held for seven years.
He now works in the special prosecutions unit while the Justice Department and the Florida Bar investigate the way he and Bedke handled the Aisenberg case.
Kunz and Bedke have been under scrutiny since charges were dropped against the Aisenbergs, who had been accused of lying to investigators about the disappearance of their infant daughter, Sabrina.
Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office have admitted in court documents that the case was brought in bad faith, and the U.S. Attorney's Office has agreed to pay the Aisenbergs' legal fees. Both sides are now wrangling over the amount owed.
The Aisenbergs' attorney estimates the defense tab to be $3.75-million. The couple have insisted they had nothing to do with Sabrina's disappearance from their Brandon home in November 1997.
During the investigation, their home was bugged by investigators. A judge later ruled that detectives had lied in getting permission for the bugs.
Tapes gathered from the home were thrown out of court by a federal judge, who said he was unable to hear the incriminating statements that prosecutors claimed were on the tapes.