By SANDRA SALATHE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
July 27, 2021
-Daily Mail
A former U.S. diplomat may face life in prison, after pleading guilty to raping and drugging 23 women over the course of several years, while he was employed at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.
Brian Jeffrey Raymond, 45, of La Mesa, California, pleaded guilty Friday to federal sexual abuse and transportation of obscene material charges, according to the Department of Justice.
An investigation into Raymond was launched after a nude woman was spotted screaming for help on the balcony of his Mexico City apartment last May.
The woman told the FBI she had no recollection of events after consuming drinks and food provided by Raymond.
He was arrested in La Mesa last October, on one count of coercion and enticement.
‘Brian Raymond betrayed the trust granted to him as a U.S. government employee representing the United States abroad by engaging in years of predatory conduct sexually abusing, exploiting, and recording vulnerable women he targeted in the United States and around the world,’ Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said in a statement.
‘As demonstrated by Raymond’s prosecution and plea, the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will use all of the tools at our disposal to hold accountable those who victimize women.’
Throughout their investigation, FBI agents said they recovered hundreds of photographs and videos depicting more than 20 unconscious and nude or partially nude women from Raymond’s cell phones, iCloud account, and other electronic devices.
The files date back to 2006, continuing up until May 2020.
Photographs and videos clearly depict Raymond fondling the victims breasts and buttocks, in addition to lying in bed with unconscious women on two different occasions.
During their time with Raymond, the women claimed they experienced memory loss and had no knowledge of the photographs, videos, or physical contact.
In addition, FBI agents said internet history recovered from Raymond’s devices revealed searches for unconscious women and side effects of prescription drugs combined with alcohol.
In his plea agreement, Raymond admitted he engaged in sexual intercourse with two of the victims depicted in the recordings ‘when both were incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct or consenting to it.’
Both incidents took place in Raymond’s embassy-leased residence in Mexico City.
Raymond admitted that over the course of 14 years, he recorded and/or photographed at least 24 unconscious and nude or partially nude women, and touched the breasts, buttocks, genitalia of numerous women ‘while they were incapable of consent.’
The DOJ said Raymond transported all 479 photographs and videos of 20 unconscious and nude or partially nude women, into the United States.
Raymond has worked for the U.S. government for 23 years in numerous countries, according to court documents. Prosecutors did not specify what position he held in Mexico other than to say he was working for a U.S. government agency at the embassy.
This is the first incident the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City has come under fire.
In 2014, an unidentified married Treasury attaché was fired after an investigation found he forced a 22-year-old woman to perform oral sex at a New Year’s Eve party at his taxpayer-funded apartment.
However, his name has been redacted in all documents and his name has never been released, despite constant requests and the Biden administration’s pledge for more transparency.
His case resurfaced in March after Raymond was arrested.
In December, 2017, it was revealed that The Treasury Department paid $174,000 over five years to settle sexual harassment cases, many involving members of Congress.
It is not known if officials in the Treasury paid anything to settle sexual harassment claims involving its own staff.
This isn’t the first time a government department has protected the identity of a high-ranking overseas official accused of misconduct while stationed abroad.
In January 2016, DailyMail.com uncovered that a US consulate employee had a child taken from his care because officials feared the minor was in danger following systematic abuse and neglect.
A document exposed how the International Trade Administration staff member allegedly subjected the minor to shocking care while working abroad and living in a house owned by the government
An investigation found the child was routinely underfed and encouraged to take their clothes off in the consulate residence so the man could allegedly take pictures of them naked.
At the time the unidentified employee also allegedly harassed female colleagues during his posting and used a government email address to meet women online.
