ICE Agent Accused of Leaking Sensitive Information to Family Members With Ties to Drug Cartels
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Jovana Samaniego Deas, 33, a special agent with the agency's Homeland Security Investigations unit, illegally accessed, stole, and transferred sensitive U.S. government documents to family members with known ties to the cartels.
The documents Deas allegedly stole, authorities say, are classified as Official Use Only.
Terri Tollefson, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility West, adds, "We hold our employees to the highest standards of professional and personal integrity. Guarding against illegal or unethical behavior is not an option; it is an obligation we have to the American people we serve. We will not tolerate criminal misconduct, especially acts involving public corruption, and will hold our employees accountable for betraying the public's trust."
Deas had been an employee of the U.S. government since 2003. She started her career as a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer in Nogales, and by 2008, became a special agent at the HSI Nogales office.
In all, Deas is charged with computer fraud, theft of government records, and making false statements/entries.
































