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A former staffer at the US Embassy in Mexico has pleaded guilty to drugging and sexually assaulting at least 23 women over the past decade, officials said.
Brian Jeffrey Raymond, of La Mesa, pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges of sexual abuse and transportation of obscene material charges, the Justice Department said in a statement.
Raymond, 45, left Mexico after a woman was observed naked and screaming for help from his balcony on May 31, 2020, according to court documents. She reported she had no recollection of events after consuming drinks and food he provided.
During the ensuing probe, “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,” the department said.
He created the materials starting at least as early as 2006 and continued up until May 30, 2020, the feds said.
“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,” according to the statement.
“The women experienced memory loss during their time with Raymond and had no knowledge of the photographs, videos, or physical contact,” it said.
“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,” the statement added.
In the plea agreement, Raymond admitted he engaged in sexual intercourse with two of the victims when both were incapable of consenting to the conduct at his embassy-leased residence in Mexico City.
He also admitted that over the course of 14 years, he recorded and/or photographed at least two dozen unconscious and nude or partially nude women and touched the private parts of multiple women while they were incapable of consent.
Raymond transported 479 images and videos of 20 unconscious and nude or partially nude women into the US, where he tried to delete the material from his devices and internet accounts while under investigation, officials said.
He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, a fine of $250,000, a term of supervised release of at least five years and mandatory restitution when he is sentenced.
“Brian Raymond betrayed the trust granted to him as a US government employee representing the United States abroad by engaging in years of predatory conduct sexually abusing, exploiting, and recording vulnerable women he targeted in the United States and around the world,” Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite Jr. said in a staement.
“As demonstrated by Raymond’s prosecution and plea, the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will use all of the tools at our disposal to hold accountable those who victimize women.”
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