Current:Home > BackEx-CIA officer accused of sexually abusing dozens of women pleads guilty to federal charges-InfoLens
Ex-CIA officer accused of sexually abusing dozens of women pleads guilty to federal charges
View Date:2024-12-23 22:01:59
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former CIA officer accused of drugging and sexually assaulting at least two dozen women during various overseas postings pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal sex abuse charges.
Brian Jeffrey Raymond kept nearly 500 videos and photographs he took of naked, unconscious women, including many in which he can be seen opening their eyelids, groping or straddling them, prosecutors say. The images date to 2006 and track much of Raymond’s career, with victims in Mexico, Peru and other countries.
The case was just the latest embarrassment for the CIA, which in recent months has seen a reckoning over its often secretive and antiquated handling of sexual misconduct claims within the spy agency.
The Associated Press found at least two-dozen women have come forward to tell authorities and Congress about sexual assaults, unwanted touching and what they contend are the CIA’s efforts to silence them. A CIA officer trainee was convicted in August of assault and battery for wrapping a scarf around a colleague’s neck and trying to kiss her inside a stairwell at the agency’s headquarters in Langley, Va.
The CIA has publicly condemned Raymond’s crimes, and CIA Director William Burns in May launched a series of reforms to streamline claims, support victims and more quickly discipline those involved in misconduct.
“As this case shows, we are committed to engaging with law enforcement to ensure that justice is served,” the CIA said in a statement. “In addition, we take any allegations of sexual assault or sexual harassment extremely seriously and have taken significant steps to ensure we maintain a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for our workforce.”
Prosecutors described the 47-year-old Raymond as an experienced sexual predator who kept a detailed accounting of potential victims organized by name, ethnicity and notes on their physical characteristics, such as “fake” or “fake but smaller.”
Investigators combing his devices found an incriminating online search history for phrases such as “Ambien and alcohol and pass out” and “vodka & valium.” In one email to an online pharmacy, Raymond wrote, “Hello, do you have chloral hydrate for insomnia?”
When he was arrested three years ago, Raymond had been stationed in Mexico City, where he would meet women on dating apps and invite them back to his embassy-leased apartment for drinks.
The San Diego native, who is fluent in Spanish and Mandarin, was only discovered in 2020 after a naked woman Raymond met on Tinder screamed for help from his balcony, prompting a worried neighbor to call the authorities. U.S. officials scoured Raymond’s electronic devices and began identifying the victims, all of whom described experiencing some form of memory loss during their time with him. Prosecutors had intended to call as many as 14 alleged victims during trial.
Raymond withdrew a previous guilty plea in the case last year as he successfully challenged the admissibility of certain photos that the judge ruled were illegally seized from his mobile phones after agents compelled him to give up his passcode. Other images stored on Raymond’s iCloud account were admitted however.
As part of the agreement announced Tuesday, Raymond pleaded guilty to four of 25 criminal counts including sexual abuse, coercion and transportation of obscene material. Prosecutors dismissed the most serious charge of aggravated sexual abuse.
___
Mustian reported from New York and Goodman from Miami
veryGood! (44)
Related
- Teachers in 3 Massachusetts communities continue strike over pay, paid parental leave
- Madison man gets 40 years for killing ex-girlfriend, whose body was found under pile of furniture
- Maui wildfire survivors camp on the beach to push mayor to convert vacation rentals into housing
- Moscow puts popular Ukrainian singer on wanted list, accusing her of spreading false information about Russian military
- Maine elections chief who drew Trump’s ire narrates House tabulations in livestream
- Prepare for Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' film: What to wear, how to do mute challenge
- Pope Francis meets with relatives of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners
- How Travis Kelce Really Feels About His Nonsense Tweets Resurfacing on Social Media
- Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin to kick off fundraising effort for Ohio women’s suffrage monument
- How to watch the Geminids meteor shower
Ranking
- Kevin Costner says he hasn't watched John Dutton's fate on 'Yellowstone': 'Swear to God'
- Gene Simmons is proud KISS 'did it our way' as band preps final two shows ever in New York
- Pilot dies after small plane crashes in Plano, Texas shopping center parking lot: Police
- Bob Vander Plaats, influential Iowa evangelical leader, endorses DeSantis
- Taylor Swift drops Christmas merchandise collection, including for 'Tortured Poets' era
- Atlanta officer used Taser on church deacon after he said he could not breathe, police video shows
- King Charles honors Blackpink for environmental efforts: See photos
- Police say 2 dead and 5 wounded in Philadelphia shooting that may be drug-related
Recommendation
-
See Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly, Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess' Blended Family Photos
-
The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade featured live animals (bears and elephants)
-
The average long-term US mortgage rate falls to 7.29% in fourth-straight weekly drop
-
How to watch the Geminids meteor shower
-
Early Black Friday Deals: 70% Off Apple, Dyson, Tarte, Barefoot Dreams, Le Creuset & More + Free Shipping
-
Automatic pay raise pays dividends, again, for top state officials in Pennsylvania
-
Britain’s Conservative government set to start cutting taxes ahead of likely election next year
-
All the Michigan vs. Ohio State history you need to know ahead of 2023 matchup