A former U.S. diplomat recently pleaded guilty to sexual abuse and taking photos of nude and partially nude women without their consent during his career.
Forty-five-year-old Brian Jeffrey Raymond of La Mesa, California, also admitted abusive sexual contact with several women, Just the News reported Tuesday.
He was recently employed by the federal government at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico, but left the country after a woman was reportedly seen in May 2020, nude and yelling for help from his balcony. The woman claimed she had no memory of what happened after consuming drinks and food Raymond provided.
The United States Department of Justice detailed the case in a press release on Friday:
During the subsequent investigation, law enforcement agents 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. Raymond created these materials starting at least as early as 2006 and continuing up until May 30, 2020. Raymond’s hand is visible in photographs and videos manipulating his victims’ eyes, mouths, and limbs and fondling their breasts and buttocks. Raymond is also seen lying in bed with unconscious women on two different occasions. The women experienced memory loss during their time with Raymond and had no knowledge of the photographs, videos, or physical contact. Internet history recovered from Raymond’s devices revealed searches for unconscious women, as well as searches for the side effects of prescription drugs combined with alcohol, for example, “ambien and alcohol side effects,” “Ambien dissolve,” “Ambien and alcohol pass out,” and “passed out and carried.”
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In the 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. These offenses occurred on May 30, 2020, and March 26, 2020, in Raymond’s embassy-leased residence in Mexico City. Additionally, 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, groin area and/or genitalia of numerous women while they were incapable of consent.
“Brian Jeffrey Raymond’s guilty plea is a step in the right direction in the pursuit of justice for the many victims of his predatory behaviors,” Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office stated. “The FBI is grateful to the brave women who came forward to provide information to further this investigation and put a stop to Raymond’s actions.”
Raymond will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum of life in prison, a fine of $250,000, supervised release of at least five years, and mandatory restitution, the department’s news release said.