LOS ANGELES – A former particular agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) was sentenced Tuesday to 10 months in federal jail for accepting hundreds of {dollars} in bribes from a Korean businessman.
Joohoon David Lee, 43, who at present resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced by U.S. District Decide Michael W. Fitzgerald, who referred to as the bribery “a really, very grave crime.” Lee pleaded responsible final December to 1 rely of bribery, following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Workplace of Skilled Duty (OPR).
“This defendant offered his place of authority as a legislation enforcement officer for just a few thousand {dollars},” stated United States Lawyer Eileen M. Decker. “As a consequence of this abuse of belief, he’ll now pay a much more vital value. This defendant’s crime, nonetheless, mustn’t solid a shadow over the tens of hundreds of legislation enforcement officers throughout the nation who’re finishing up their duties with honor and dedication.”
Lee accepted bribe cash from a Korean man recognized in courtroom paperwork at “H.S.” Based on courtroom paperwork, Lee, who was assigned to HSI’s Human Trafficking unit in Los Angeles, interviewed a girl in March 2012 who claimed that she was getting into the US to be a intercourse slave for H.S. A few yr later, in accordance with courtroom filings, Lee met with an legal professional representing H.S. and advised the lawyer that Lee may fly to Korea, interview H.S. and submit a good report – if H.S. would finance the journey.
“Thereafter, H.S.’s household organized to have a relative, who was residing in Southern California, journey to Las Vegas, the place, by this time, defendant Lee had been transferred, and handed defendant Lee $3,000 in money,” in accordance with a sentencing memo filed by prosecutors that notes Lee bought a aircraft ticket to Seoul, Korea, the next day. Lee travelled to Seoul, the place H.S. paid for Lee’s resort and leisure bills. Whereas in Korea, “Lee requested [H.S.] for $100,000 to make H.S.’s immigration points go away,” in accordance with the sentencing memo. H.S. in the end paid Lee between $6,000 and $7,000 in money.
Upon returning to the U.S., Lee ready a report associated to the investigation of H.S. that learn: “Topic was suspected of human trafficking. No proof discovered and sufferer assertion contradicts. Case closed. No additional motion required.”
“Those that work in legislation enforcement are imagined to uphold our nation’s legal guidelines, not willingly break them,” stated Jeffrey Gilgallon, assistant particular agent in cost for ICE OPR in Los Angeles. “As this case reveals, ICE has zero tolerance for public officers who abuse their authority and violate the general public’s belief to feed their very own greed. Guarding in opposition to unlawful or unethical conduct just isn’t an choice; it’s an obligation we have now to the folks we serve.”
The case in opposition to Lee was prosecuted by Assistant United States Lawyer Lizabeth A. Rhodes, Chief of the Normal Crimes Part.