WASHINGTON DC, USA — Former CIA officer Brian Jeffrey Raymond was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on Wednesday for drugging, photographing, and sexually assaulting more than two dozen women over 14 years during his postings around the world.
The sentencing marked the conclusion of one of the most egregious misconduct cases in the CIA’s history, leaving a courtroom filled with emotional testimony from victims.
Raymond, 48, had meticulously documented his crimes in over 500 images and videos, many of which depicted unconscious women being assaulted while he posed and groped them in various states of undress.
The former intelligence officer, who appeared in court in an orange jumpsuit, remained silent as U.S. Senior Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly handed down the sentence requested by prosecutors.
“It’s safe to say he’s a sexual predator,” Kollar-Kotelly said in court. “You are going to have a period of time to think about this.”
The case against Raymond revealed a pattern of manipulation that stretched from 2006 through 2020, as he used dating apps like Tinder to lure women to his government-leased apartments in countries including Mexico and Peru.
Once there, he would drug the women, serve them snacks and wine, and, after they lost consciousness, spend hours photographing and assaulting them.
Many of the victims, identified in court by numbers, only learned of the assaults after the FBI showed them photos taken by Raymond during their time together.
“My body looks like a corpse on his bed,” one victim said in court.
Another victim described the emotional devastation that followed the assault, recounting nightmares of seeing herself dead in the photos.
The crimes came to light in 2020 after a woman was heard screaming for help from the balcony of Raymond’s apartment in Mexico City.
The woman had blacked out and had no recollection of what transpired.
Following his arrest, U.S. officials found a trove of incriminating material on Raymond’s electronic devices, leading to the identification of 28 victims.
Raymond, a San Diego native and former White House intern, pleaded guilty to four federal charges including sexual abuse and transportation of obscene material.
As part of his sentencing, Raymond was ordered to pay $10,000 to each of his victims.
The court heard from several victims who described how Raymond’s actions upended their lives, destroying their confidence and ability to trust others.
One victim said, “I hope he is haunted by the consequences of his actions for the rest of his life.”
In a statement read to the court, Raymond expressed remorse for his actions, stating, “It betrayed everything I stand for and I know no apology will ever be enough.”
He added, “There are no words to describe how sorry I am. That’s not who I am and yet it’s who I became.”
Defense attorneys argued for leniency, claiming that Raymond’s work in the CIA’s high-pressure, post-9/11 environment contributed to his emotional detachment and led to his abusive behavior.
“He was an invaluable government worker, but it took its toll on him and sent him down a dark path,” defense attorney Howard Katzoff wrote in a filing.
Raymond’s sentencing comes amid increased scrutiny of sexual misconduct within the CIA. Recent reports have highlighted other instances of sexual assault and harassment by CIA employees, raising concerns about how the agency handles such cases.
A classified 648-page internal watchdog report, not yet fully released, found systemic failings in how the agency addresses complaints of sexual misconduct.
“The classified nature of the activities allowed the agency to hide a lot of things,” said Liza Mundy, author of Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA.
Mundy described the male-dominated agency as a place where sexual misconduct had long gone unchecked.
The CIA condemned Raymond’s actions and announced reforms aimed at protecting women and improving accountability.
“There is absolutely no excuse for Mr Raymond’s reprehensible, appalling behaviour,” the agency said in a statement on Wednesday. “As this case shows, we are committed to engaging with law enforcement.”
Despite the public condemnation, a veil of secrecy still surrounds the full extent of Raymond’s crimes, with prosecutors declining to release a full list of countries where the assaults took place.
Raymond’s actions, described as those of a “serial offender,” escalated during his final CIA posting in Mexico City, where he was caught in 2020.
Authorities said that his manipulation often caused women to blame themselves, believing they had simply consumed too much alcohol.
The sentencing of Raymond marks a significant chapter in the CIA’s ongoing reckoning with sexual misconduct, a problem that many insiders say has been allowed to fester behind the cloak of national security.
