PUNTA GORDA, Fla. -- The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office has arrested a Punta Gorga attorney for tampering with a witness.
48-year-old Tauna Bogle is facing a charge of Tampering with a Witness, a 1st Degree Felony.
Deputies said they got information from a witness who said Bogle allegedly requested he perjure himself on behalf of her client in a pending criminal case.
The witness said Bogle also said her clients family would pay him $2,500 to recant his statements.
She has bonded out of the Charlotte County jail.
Four In Your Corner spoke with an attorney not associated with the case to ask if this is a crime that happens often but goes unreported. He said no, because most attorneys would not risk losing their license or going to jail. "She was charged with a first degree felony. That's a big deal. A first degree felony is punishable by 15 years to life in prison," said Scot Goldberg of Goldberg Noone. "Any time you're intimidating a witness, bribing a witness, or you're telling a witness it's not in their best interest to do something, that's tampering with a witness and you just can't do that. There are criminal sanctions for it."
According the the Florida Bar, Bogle is still in good standing. However, depending if the accusations against her are founded, that could change. "I'm sure the bar will do a parallel investigation, but will wait for any sanctions, which will be anywhere from a reprimand, to disbarment," said Goldberg.
This is an ongoing investigation.
