US: Ex-CIA official sentenced to 30 years for drugging and sexually assaulting women

In another shocking case of drugging and sexually assaulting dozens of women, former CIA officer—Brian Jeffrey Raymond, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Wednesday

The Department of Justice in a press release said Raymond, 48, of La Mesa, California, drugged more than two dozen women and performed non-consensual sexual acts. 

He is accused of sexually assaulting at least 10 women.

Raymond also photographed and recorded videos of the victims without their consent, while they were drugged. 

Reportedly, Raymond had been with the CIA for over 20 years. 

According to prosecutors, Raymond would lure women he met on dating apps to his government-leased apartment and later drugs and assault them. 

The assault took place in different countries and goes back to 2006. Reportedly, the sexual assaults also took place in Mexico and Peru. 

Meanwhile, the investigation into Raymond began in May 2020. According to court documents, the police responded to a naked woman screaming for help on the balcony of Raymond's residence. 

The apartment had been leased by the US government for embassy employees.

The woman had told police that she and Raymond had met online. She had said that Raymond had raped her and accused him of drugging her when the two had drinks at his apartment. 

On investigation, several videos and images of Raymond sexually assaulting numerous women were found. 

According to the Department of Justice, Raymond accepted a plea deal in November 2023, pleading guilty to four counts of sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact, coercion and enticement, and the transportation of obscene material, reported The Guardian. 

Raymond's sentencing comes at a time when the CIA faces intense scrutiny over its handling of sexual misconduct cases. A 648-page internal watchdog report revealed that the agency routinely failed to address such incidents.