ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A former healthcare professional was sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday for unlawfully accessing the health records of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Trent Russell, 34, hailing from Bellevue, Nebraska, was a transplant coordinator employed by the Washington Regional Transplant Community, which granted him access to medical records throughout the area. Earlier this year, he was found guilty by a jury of illegally accessing healthcare information and tampering with those records.

Russell faced additional charges for allegedly publicizing this sensitive information online in 2019 during a time when Ginsburg’s health status was a topic of widespread public speculation. Prosecutors accused him of disseminating claims regarding Ginsburg’s supposed death, although he was acquitted of that particular charge by the jury. Ginsburg continued to serve on the Supreme Court until her passing in 2020.

According to prosecutors, Russell had shared the healthcare details on various online platforms known to propagate antisemitic conspiracy theories, including some concerning Ginsburg’s death. However, the reasons behind his actions remain ambiguous. At one point, Russell even suggested that a cat might have inadvertently triggered the retrieval of Ginsburg’s records by walking across his keyboard.

This lack of acknowledgment and his implausible justifications sparked strong criticism from prosecutors, who recommended a lengthier sentence of 30 months. “His excuses were utterly unbelievable,” stated prosecutor Zoe Bedell.

In contrast, Russell’s attorney, Charles Burnham, advocated for either probation or home confinement. He pointed to Russell’s contributions to saving lives as a transplant coordinator and his prior military service, including a deployment in Afghanistan, as mitigating circumstances. Burnham characterized Russell’s actions as a result of “being stupid” rather than malice.

U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff issued a 24-month sentence, describing Russell’s actions as “truly despicable conduct.” The judge expressed frustration over Russell’s demeanor and his choice to lie to both investigators and during his testimony. “You chose to blame your cat,” Nachmanoff remarked, illustrating the absurdity of Russell’s defense.

While court records are carefully modified to exclude mention of Ginsburg, both the trial and sentencing acknowledged her as the victim of this privacy invasion. Her prominent public status fueled discussions regarding the seriousness of Russell’s offenses, with prosecutors asserting that her age and medical conditions made her particularly susceptible to such breaches. “He went after a Supreme Court justice who was elderly and unwell, knowing her sickness was a concern in the public eye,” Bedell asserted.

Conversely, Russell’s attorney contended that Ginsburg’s esteemed position and the clout associated with it imply strength rather than vulnerability. When handing down the sentence, Judge Nachmanoff noted the presence of a sick stepparent who may require care, also commenting on the irony that the details of the stepparent’s health issues are sealed as sensitive information—a privilege that Russell denied Ginsburg.

Following the hearing, both Russell and his attorney chose not to comment on the possibility of an appeal.