Washington, June 08: A former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) official in Algeria pleaded guilty Monday to charges of abusive sexual contact and unlawful use of cocaine while possessing a firearm, prosecutors said.
Andrew Warren, 42, made the plea before US District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle in Washington, said Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer of the Criminal Division, US Attorney Ronald Machen for the District of Columbia and Ambassador Eric Boswell, Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security.
Warren confessed that on February 17, 2008, he committed abusive sexual contact while on US embassy property in Algiers, “by engaging in sexual contact with a female victim after he rendered her unconscious,” a statement from prosecuords said.
“Additionally, Warren admitted that on April 26, 2010, he unlawfully used cocaine while possessing a Glock Model 19, 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol in Norfolk, Virginia,” they added.
Warren faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a 250,000-dollar fine and a lifetime of supervised release. He also must register as a sex offender for a period of at least 25 years. Sentencing has been set for September 9.
In January 2009, ABC television reported that the CIA station chief, who was in his post since September 2007, was ordered home the preceding October after two women came forward with separate allegations they were raped in the official’s residence in Algiers.
There have been fears that the case could potentially deal a major blow to the US image abroad at a time when President Barack Obama has called for “a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect” with the Muslim world.
Algeria in particular is seen as a hotspot because of the presence of Al-Qaeda’s North African branch there.
The case “will be seen as the typical ugly American,” former CIA officer Bob Baer told ABC News last year. “My question is how the CIA would not have picked up on this in their own regular reviews of CIA officers overseas.”
According to an affidavit filed in federal court by the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, a copy of which was posted on the Web by ABC News last year, the first alleged victim said she was raped by the officer in September 2007 after being invited to a party with US embassy employees at his residence.
She said that while there, she was served mixed drinks of cola and whiskey that were prepared out of her sight.
Later in the evening, after the final drink served by the officer, she suddenly felt ill and vomited, and woke up in the officer’s house the next morning nude after being apparently raped, according to the affidavit. She said she had no recollection of having sexual intercourse.
The second alleged victim described a similar incident that occurred in February 2008, according to the affidavit.
When interviewed by diplomatic security investigators, the officer claimed he had “engaged in consensual sexual intercourse,” according to the affidavit posted by ABC last year.
Monday’s statement from prosecutors did not mention the second alleged victim that was addressed in the media reports last year.
—Agencies