A former healthcare worker who illicitly accessed the medical records of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been sentenced to two years in prison. Trent Russell, 34, from Bellevue, Nebraska, was working as a transplant coordinator for the Washington Regional Transplant Community at the time and had access to hospital records throughout the region. Earlier this year, a jury convicted him of illegally accessing and destroying or altering health care records.
Russell was also accused of publishing the confidential information on the internet in 2019 amidst public speculation about Ginsburg’s health and her capacity to serve as a justice. Prosecutors claimed he posted the information with a false assertion that Ginsburg had already died, but he was acquitted of this specific charge. Ginsburg continued in her role until her death in 2020.
The prosecution revealed that Russell shared the health records on forums known for propagating antisemitic conspiracy theories, including rumors that Ginsburg had died. Despite the clarity of his actions, Russell’s motivations remained unclear. He never confessed to accessing the records, at one point even suggesting his cat may have inadvertently called up Ginsburg’s data.
Russell’s outlandish excuses and refusal to accept responsibility drew sharp criticism from prosecutors, who pushed for a 30-month sentence. “He offered completely implausible excuses with a straight face,” stated prosecutor Zoe Bedell. Russell’s defense attorney, Charles Burnham, argued for probation or home detention, citing Russell’s previous life-saving work as a transplant coordinator and his military service in Afghanistan as mitigating factors. “Mr. Russell has lived a quietly heroic life,” Burnham wrote in court documents, attributing the criminal behavior to mere stupidity.
U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff handed down the 24-month sentence, describing Russell’s actions as “truly despicable conduct.” The judge expressed frustration with Russell’s lack of transparency, which included lying to investigators and under oath. “You chose to blame your cat,” Nachmanoff remarked.
Although court records carefully redact references to Ginsburg, her identity as the victim was openly recognized during the trial and sentencing. Prosecutors argued that Ginsburg’s status as a public figure, compounded by her age and illness, marked her as a particularly vulnerable target. “He went with the Supreme Court justice who was old, who was sick, and whose sickness was a public concern,” argued Bedell. Conversely, Russell’s lawyer contended that Ginsburg’s high office and the power it entailed negated claims of vulnerability.
In delivering his sentence, Judge Nachmanoff acknowledged that Russell’s sick stepparent, who might need his care, was a consideration. The health details of Russell’s stepparent remain confidential, a point the judge noted with irony. “Why? Because it is sensitive health information — a benefit you did not provide to Justice Ginsburg,” he stated.
Neither Russell nor his lawyer commented on whether they plan to appeal the decision after the hearing.
