Witnesses in Will County cases and prosecutions were endangered by the alleged misconduct of a state’s attorney’s office employee, according to charges filed on Monday.

The felony charges were filed against Amy Burgett-Masse, 44, and Ryanne Burgett-Masse, 20, both of Elwood, following an investigation of computer tampering and official misconduct.

The two have a court hearing set for 9 a.m. on Friday at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet.

Amy Burgett-Masse was an employee of the state’s attorney’s office at the time of the offenses, which allegedly occurred between Sept. 20, 2024, and May 6, court records show.

The charges allege Amy and Ryanne Burgett-Masse accessed a computer network with the state’s attorney’s office and “created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm” to witnesses in “certain criminal investigation(s) and prosecution(s) in Will County,” according to court documents.

The charges allege Amy Burgett-Masse “communicated directly or indirectly” information she acquired during her employment with the intent to “obstruct, impede, or prevent the investigation, apprehension or prosecution of criminal offense or person,” according to court documents.

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s Office has not responded to questions regarding the status of Burgett-Masse’ employment and her relation to Ryanne Burgett-Masse.

The sheriff’s office and the special prosecutor assigned to the case also have not responded to questions regarding employment status.

A representative of Glasgow’s office said as a “general matter we do not comment on personnel issues.”

The investigation began on April 28 when Will County sheriff’s detectives, while working on an unrelated investigation, obtained information suggesting a state’s attorney’s office employee may have accessed and unlawfully shared “confidential information with a known gang member,” according to Kevin Hedemark, sheriff’s office spokesman.

“Detectives immediately collaborated with leadership from the state’s attorney’s office to identify the employee involved. Given the potential impact on active cases, state and local authorities were notified of the investigation,” Hedemark said.

The findings of the investigation were submitted to a special prosecutor on July 22, Hedemark said.

Special Prosecutor Dave Neal authorized charges of computer tampering and aggravated computer tampering against Amy and Ryanne Burgett-Masse, as well as a charge of official misconduct against Amy Burgett-Masse.

The Herald-News has contacted federal, state and local authorities on whether any of their cases in collaboration with the state’s attorney’s office have been affected by the alleged conduct described in the charges.

Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English said the department is “aware of the case” and received “no notification about any Joliet Police Department case being affected.”

An Illinois State Police spokesperson said their agency was not “involved in this investigation and has not been notified that any of their cases have been affected.”

In response to a list of questions on Thursday, Hedemark provided a brief synopsis on the investigation, but he referred all other questions to Neal.

Neal told The Herald-News in an email that he is “limited by the rules of professional conduct that restrict my ability to comment on a pending prosecution.”

“This is to ensure that the defendants have a fair trial based upon the facts,” Neal said.

Neal referred further questions about Burgett-Masse’s employment to the state’s attorney’s office.