Karen Read grand juror who leaked info has been fired from her job with the state
A Dracut woman who leaked information from a grand jury investigation that WCVB and The Boston Globe have reported was a federal grand juror who investigated the state's handling of the Karen Read case was recently fired from her job with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, according to redacted court documents.
Jessica Leslie, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal contempt on Aug. 4 in federal court, the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's Office said previously. Prosecutors have not publicly linked her to the federal grand jury investigation into the state's handling of the Karen Read murder case.
The charge stemmed from Leslie disclosing information to one person, described by her lawyer as "a former friend" in her sentencing memorandum. She now understands that what she did was wrong and is genuinely remorseful about her actions, Attorney Keith Halpern wrote.
"Ms. Leslie believed that the information would remain private. She knew that sharing grand jury information violated her oath," the memorandum reads. " [Redacted] ... She should have recognized that the violation of grand jury secrecy can cause serious harm to people and to the justice system, but she didn't."
Leslie was a licensed social worker who began working at the Department of Children and Families in 2017, according to the memorandum. She was promoted to a supervisor position in May 2025, but was recently terminated.
"She'd achieved her goal and had a job she loved. Now it's gone," the memorandum reads.
The memorandum urged a judge to accept a plea agreement sentencing Leslie to a day in prison, deemed served, and 24 months of supervised release as deemed "sufficient but not greater than necessary." She gave up her right to appeal her conviction or sentence as part of the agreement.
When contacted for additional comment on Thursday, Halpern said only that "it was a shame [Leslie] lost her job."
Prosecutors previously said Leslie had disclosed sealed information presented to a grand jury to "unauthorized individuals" on various dates between Aug. 11, 2022, and March 4, 2024. Among the information was names of various witnesses appearing before a federal grand jury and the substance of witness testimony.
Leslie texted and called her then close friend to give them information about at least three unrelated cases, including the Massachusetts State Police commercial driver's license scheme , prosecutors said previously. Her friend then posted information about the cases on a social media account that law enforcement later connected to the friend.
Karen Read faced charges including second-degree murder in connection with hitting her boyfriend — Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe — with her SUV outside a Canton home in January 2022. Her first trial in June 2024 ended in a mistrial, but the jury in her second trial found her not guilty of all charges except driving under the influence of liquor in June 2025.
Karen Read murder case
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