City of Yakima employee charged with felony now placed on paid administrative leave

YAKIMA, Wash. — Interim Yakima City Manager Dave Zabell confirmed Monday morning that a City of Yakima public records officer charged with a felony has now been placed on paid administrative leave.

Jeannett Mora was charged with first-degree burglary and other charges on Friday, Jan. 19 after police said she broke into the home of another city employee, armed with a gun and assaulted her last summer.

A week after charges were filed, Apple Valley News Now's Emily Goodell reported that despite those charges and other allegations, Mora had not been placed on administrative leave and was still working in her position as public records officer, handling sensitive documents from the police and fire departments.

That story aired on Friday, Jan. 26 and included an interview with Scott Grant of the Yakima Police Patrolmans Association and information from police and city records obtained by Goodell.

Goodell also spoke with city officials, who said they were waiting to receive the full investigative report prior to making any decisions regarding Mora.

Zabell confirmed that on the afternoon of Friday, Feb. 2 — two weeks after charges were filed and one week after Goodell's story aired — the city placed Mora on paid administrative leave.

"The city is in the process of doing an internal investigation," Zabell said, adding that placing Mora on leave was not a disciplinary action.

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