Justin A. ColbertHint: Justin A. Colbert, 23, of Nebraska allegedly thought that he had a simple way to get a friend out of jail, but forgot that fax machines leave transmission information.

Colbert has pleaded not guilty to a charge of public records violations. He is accused of faxing a fake court memo to a jail to secure the release a friend.  The fax was meant to look like an official notice from the Lancaster County Court staff that a bond payment of $25,000 had been paid pursuant to a weapons charge.  However the courts were closed on Saturday, which appears to have raised suspicions.  Then there was the fact that it was sent from a web service and using an email that did not belong to the county.

The email used on the fax belonged to Colbert, who had served time with the prisoner.

What is interesting is that this is just a misdemeanor offense.  Colbert was already in jail on a different charge.

If you are unfamiliar with this criminal offense, here is the state provision from Chapter 28, Section 911:

Abuse of public records; penalty; public record, defined.

(1) A person commits abuse of public records, if:

(a) He knowingly makes a false entry in or falsely alters any public record; or

(b) Knowing he lacks the authority to do so, he intentionally destroys, mutilates, conceals, removes, or impairs the availability of any public record; or

(c) Knowing he lacks the authority to retain the record, he refuses to deliver up a public record in his possession upon proper request of any person lawfully entitled to receive such record; or

(d) He makes, presents, or uses any record, document, or thing, knowing it to be false, and with the intention that it be taken as a genuine part of the public record.

(2) As used in this section, the term public record includes all official books, papers, or records created, received, or used by or in any governmental office or agency.

(3) Abuse of public records is a Class II misdemeanor.