A former federal special agent pleaded guilty to stealing money seized from FBI drug raids. The ex-employee admitted the said act before a US District judge on Monday, almost two weeks before he stands on a court trial.
Ex-FBI Agent Scott M. Bowman entered a guilty plea at a Riverside courtroom to one count each of obstruction of justice, falsification of records, witness tampering and conversion of property by a federal employee, the Los Angeles Times reported. He admitted that he lavishly spent the stolen money on plastic surgery and buying cars.
"As Mr. Bowman takes responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty, the public should be reminded that FBI personnel are held to the highest standards and misconduct of any kind is taken very seriously," James Struyk, the Los Angeles FBI office's acting assistant director, said.
The drug money, which Bowman spent, was worth over $136,000. He mostly used it to purchase two sports car and pay for his wife's cosmetic surgery, CNN News reported. Bowman, 45 years old, was formerly assigned to the Los Angeles field office. He had acknowledge that he falsified reports and tampered witness in order to conceal his tracks.
He has been an FBI agent since 2005 and a member of an anti-gang task force that worked in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to his plea agreement filed in federal court. The Moreno Valley resident confessed that he pocketed the money during three searches carried out in June and August 2014.
He used the money to buy a 2012 Dodge Challenger coupe in cash, according to the plea agreement. He then spent for outfitting the car with a premium sound system, 24-inch rims and tires, Raw Story cited.
Bowman, who was scheduled to go on trial on May 17, is to be sentenced in August. The charges to which he pleaded carry a maximum penalty of several decades.
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