The investigation into Raymond began in 2020 after a naked woman was seen screaming for help
A former U.S. government employee, Brian Jeffrey Raymond, 47, who is accused of drugging and sexually abusing at least two dozen women during various foreign assignments, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal sex abuse charges.
According to documents from the Ministry of JusticeThe former CIA officer was employed by the US government at the US embassy in Mexico City. He admitted drugging and sexually abusing several women at his embassy-rented accommodation and elsewhere between 2006 and 2020. He also admitted that he photographed or filmed 28 victims while they were naked or partially naked over a 14-year period.
According to the documents, the recordings show the defendant touching and manipulating the victim’s body while the victim was unconscious and unable to consent. The former CIA officer also attempted to delete the victims’ explicit images and videos after learning of the criminal investigation.
The former U.S. government official faces between 24 and 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. He was ordered to pay mandatory compensation to the victims of his crimes. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 18 and 19, 2024.
“The CIA strongly condemns the crimes of former CIA officer Brian Jeffrey Raymond, who was arrested in 2020. As this case demonstrates, we are committed to working with law enforcement to ensure that justice is served,” a CIA spokesman said CNN.
According to a press release from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, the investigation into Raymond began in 2020 after a naked woman was seen screaming for help from the balcony of Raymond’s Mexican residence. The press release continued that the woman later said she could not remember what happened after she consumed food and drinks provided by the former CIA officer.
In 2021, he pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse and one count of transporting obscene material. However, a year later he withdrew his guilty plea and stated that he was innocent of the charges. He said officers illegally searched his phone.
Source : www.ndtv.com