Disgraced Social Worker Sentenced for False Child Abuse Claims About Aurora Councilwoman (2024)

Robin Niceta, the former social worker who falsely reportedAurora Councilwoman Danielle Jurinskyfor child abuse, was led away in handcuffs today, May 24, to begin a four-year prison sentence, with a three-year minimum before a chance at parole.

It marks the closing chapter in a two-year saga. On January 28, 2022, Niceta was working as a social worker for the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services child protective unit when she called an anonymous tip into her own department and reported that Jurinsky was molesting her son, according to Niceta's arrest affidavit.

Jurinsky has been an at-large member of Aurora City Council since 2022. The incident that led to Niceta's prison sentence occurred less than three months into the councilwoman's term.

The anonymous tip came the day after Jurinsky went on a talk radio show and said thatthen-Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson, who was Niceta's girlfriend at the time, was "trash." Police subsequently came to Jurinsky's home to investigate abuse allegations and put her in fear of losing her son, according to the councilwoman.

Investigators were able to track the tip to Niceta's personal cell phone, and charged her with two counts related to the false accusations, according to a May 2023 affidavit. So seeing Niceta led away in handcuffs was a relief for Jurinsky, she says

"I'm at peace," Jurinskytold reporters after the sentencing. "This is a huge relief off my shoulders. I will now know where she's at and not have to worry whether or not she's going to show up for court. This is a big day for myself, my family, my friends that have shown up time and time again to support me in court. This is a huge day."

In February, Niceta's lawyer failed to show up to a hearing, attributing the absence to her client's hospitalization for a severe illness, as the defense mentioned during sentencing. However, Niceta allegedly lied about having a cancerous brain tumor and falsified recordsto get out of criminal proceedings, even manipulating MRI brain scan results showing aggressive tumor growth.

A grand jury indicted Niceta on multiple charges of forgery, tampering with evidence and criminal impersonation in July.

In November, a jury found Niceta guilty of making false child abuse claims against Jurinsky. At Niceta's sentencing, her attorney fought to get probation for the disgraced social worker while Jurinsky's team asked the judge for a five-year sentence. In a last-gasp effort to buy a bit more time outside bars for Niceta, her attorney asked for a one-week stay of execution — that the judge denied.

Jurinsky says she's "happy" with the four-year sentence.

"That's enough time to keep her in jail," Jurinsky said outside of the courtroom. "She will no longer be able to fake any kind of ailment. She will be in court every single time."

The defense asked for leniency because Niceta is "a broken person" who had "an abusive father" and faced personal challenges after coming out as gay, losing a sister to illness and having a traumatic experience where she was assaulted in her sleep—"an incident that pushed her over the edge," her attorneys said. Niceta then began drinking and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress, anxiety, schizophrenia and "cognitive dysfunction," her attorney said.

All of Niceta's ailments and drinking put her in "a moral fog" during which "she was incapable of discerning right from wrong," as when she made that phone call on January 28, the attorneys added.

But Jurinsky says that Niceta's personal history wasn't an excuse for actions that almost resulted in Jurinsky's son being taken away.

"We all have a story," Jurinsky told reporters. "We all have our struggles, and we all come from somewhere. You do not go around trying to take someone's child, no matter what has happened with you."

During a closing statement at the sentencing, Niceta apologized to Jurinsky, Jurinsky's family and the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services, saying the department has suffered "extensive criticism" and "multiple lawsuits" as a result of her actions.

"Being a case worker is an almost impossible job with little to no support, and I apologize to all of them," Niceta said. "I take responsibility for my actions and the harm it has caused Ms. Jurinsky, her family and Arapahoe County. I hope everyone is able to begin moving forward."

Jurinsky called Niceta "an evil, bad woman," and said that "the judge put her exactly where she belongs." Asked if she accepted Niceta's apology, the councilwoman responded, "absolutely not."

"Because you also heard how aggressive she has been every time she has seen me as well as my family," Jurinsky said. "There's never been an ounce of remorse."

Domestic Violence Against Jurinsky

Later on Friday, a pre-trial hearing date for a criminal case against Derek Cobb, the man charged in connection with a domestic violence incident allegedly involving Jurinsky, was set for June 17. Jurinsky first announced she had been involved in a domestic violence incident in an X post on April 19: "Over the weekend, I was involved in a domestic incident, Needless to say, this attack has traumatized me in ways I never knew were possible."

Few details of the April 15 incident are available because the affidavit is sealed. Jurinsky confirmed to Westwordthat Cobb was involved in a domestic violence incident that left her badly bruised and shaken. Cobb was originally charged with felony kidnapping and three misdemeanor charges: assault, obstructing access to a telephone and criminal mischief.

Jurinsky told Westwordon May 23 that the felony kidnapping charge against Cobb had been dropped, leaving him with the three misdemeanor charges.