Shock discovery: Records show that the CIA covered up incidents involving employees accused of sex crimes with minors; Only one person was prosecuted

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is aware that at least 10 employees of the agency have committed sex crimes with children, although only one has ever been prosecuted, according to the documents released. first reported by BuzzFeed News.

A CIA agent had “inappropriate sexual activity with an unidentified two-year-old girl” and confessed to having sex with a six-year-old child, follow for internal CIA reports from 2004 to 2019 visited of BuzzFeed through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requirements. Employees were fired but never charged.

Another employee purchased pornographic films depicting young girls, while another claimed to have viewed thousands of child pornographic images, according to the documents. These employees have also not been charged.

According to the document, a CIA employee downloaded dozens of child sexual abuse documentary videos depicting minors between the ages of 8 and 16. The staff would use government Wi-Fi to download them. content and share with others.

Many of the cases went to federal attorneys, who sent all but one back to the CIA to deal with the matter internally instead of prosecuting the employees, BuzzFeed reported.

A CIA spokesperson told BuzzFeed that the agency “seriously considers all allegations of possible criminal conduct by employees” but declined to answer detailed questions, while The Eastern District of Virginia, which has reviewed many of the cases, said it “takes seriously its responsibility to hold federal government employees accountable for violating federal law within its jurisdiction.” we. ”

In addition to sex crimes, internal reports reveal a number of other impromptu acts committed by CIA agents. A CIA employee was investigated in October 2018 for using CIA credentials and computer access to conduct “unofficial searches” of her brother.

The CIA did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

Buzzfeed News added:

A spokeswoman for the Eastern District of Virginia, to which many criminal referrals have been sent, also did not respond to detailed questions, saying the county “takes seriously its responsibility to hold accountable. to federal government employees who violate federal law in our jurisdiction.”

Four former officials familiar with how internal investigations at intelligence agencies work told BuzzFeed News that there are many reasons why prosecutors might not pursue a criminal case. One of them, familiar with the work of the CIA’s Office of Inspector General, said the agency was concerned that in a criminal case it could lose control of sensitive information.

The former official, who reviewed the inspector general’s declassified reports, stated that the concern of the CIA attorneys was, “We can’t let these people testify, they could be incompetent.” forced to disclose sources and methods.”

The official, who noted that the agency has had problems with child abuse images for decades, said it understood the need to protect “sensitive and classified fairs”. However, “for criminals of a certain class, whether it’s intelligence agencies or not, you just have to figure out how to prosecute these people.”