Paras Griffin/Getty Images
A female Fulton County deputy is accused of illegally communicating with a YSL co-defendant, prosecutors have learned.
According to warrants obtained by Channel 2 Action News, deputy Akeiba Stanley was arrested Friday for violation of oath of office, reckless conduct, conspiracy to commit a felony, and hindering apprehension or punishment of a criminal, per jail records.
The YSL defendant and member in question is reported to be Christian Eppinger, 22, the outlet reports.
The trail of evidence between Stanley — who is a woman — and Eppinger became hard for other officers to ignore.
Deputies reportedly personally saw Eppinger communicating with someone on Instagram named Koren Gates while using his attorney’s computer in the courtroom.
This happened about six times, according to the outlet. Each time deputies reported that they reprimanded Eppinger and his attorney.
At the time, authorities were unaware that Stanley was behind the other Instagram account in question.
Stanley’s middle name is Koren, and she used to live at an address on Gates Ave., authorities eventually learned.
When a violent fight between Eppinger and a prison officer broke out last month, Stanley allegedly stood by and did nothing to help restrain the YSL affiliate.
The warrant says that Stanley even attempted to comfort Eppinger after the altercation, rubbing his back while telling him, “Look at me, baby.”
Eppinger reportedly even gave Stanley a birthday card purchased from the jail’s commissary, according to the warrant.
Prosecutors are using these new warrants to remove Eppinger’s case from the remaining eight YSL defendants awaiting trial.
The warrants were also used to name Eppinger’s attorney as a co-conspirator. The lawyer, Eric Johnson, has since been named for allowing Eppinger to use his computer to communicate illegally, WSB-TV reports.
“My client, Mr. Eppinger, has been alleged to have been having improper communications with a deputy — Ms. Stanley – on Instagram … while using my computer,” Johnson told FOX 5.
Additionally, Johnson believes he will still be allowed to represent Eppinger when he’s severed from the YSL trial for one of his own.
“I believe him being tried by himself may make it more difficult for him to obtain a not-guilty verdict,” the lawyer further explained.
Meanwhile, both Instagram counts associated with Eppinger and Stanley’s back-and-forth have since been deleted.
