SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A second Department of Homeland Security agent has been charged in federal court docket with utilizing a confidential informant to promote illicit medicine that have been seized as proof.
Nicholas Kindle, a particular agent in Utah tasked with investigating unlawful narcotics trafficking, was arrested three weeks after his alleged co-conspirator, particular agent David Cole. Each face a felony drug distribution conspiracy cost, and Kindle faces an extra cost of conspiracy to transform property of the U.S. authorities for revenue.
On Thursday a Justice of the Peace choose set Kindle’s preliminary court docket look for Jan. 21 in Salt Lake Metropolis. If convicted he faces a most penalty of 25 years in jail.
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An lawyer has not but been listed for Kindle in court docket information.
In contrast to Cole, who was indicted final month by a grand jury, Kindle was formally charged in an info doc from the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace, which doesn’t require grand jury approval to provoke prison proceedings.
Federal prosecutors say Kindle and Cole abused their positions to amass unlawful medicine referred to as “tub salts” from Homeland Safety proof and from different legislation enforcement personnel, together with U.S. Customs and Border Safety officers, beneath the false pretense that they might use them for official investigations.
Prosecutors say Kindle and Cole started stealing medicine from proof and mendacity to fellow brokers about their objective in 2021. They’re additionally alleged to have stolen 1000’s of {dollars} in money, a diamond ring and a Peruvian antiquity from proof.
From 2022 to 2024, the brokers allegedly bought the medicine to an individual recognized in court docket paperwork solely as a “supply of data” for the division, prosecutors. They let that particular person resell the medicine and didn’t arrest the purchasers, in keeping with charging paperwork.
The FBI says the scheme introduced in between $195,000 and $300,000.
The brokers later are mentioned to have compelled a confidential informant recruited to conduct managed buys from suspected sellers after his launch from jail to turn out to be the brand new intermediary.
Kindle and Cole used an encrypted messaging app to present the informant assembly places, which ranged from a Panera Bread restaurant to a Nike retailer, in keeping with an FBI affidavit.
The FBI started investigating in October 2024 after the informant’s lawyer contacted the U.S. Lawyer in Utah to report that Kindle and Cole had required him to interact in doubtlessly illegal acts, in keeping with the affidavit. Investigators started monitoring them and recorded eight transactions by which medicine have been illegally bought to the informant.
On one event, authorities say, the informant handed over to the FBI a plastic foam cup containing a granular substance that examined constructive for medicine. He mentioned the brokers left it for him in a car parking zone trash can.
Ingestion of artificial tub salts, also called Alpha-PVP or cathinone, can result in weird conduct reminiscent of paranoia and excessive power, in keeping with authorities. The drug is alleged to be just like methamphetamine, cocaine or ecstasy, and is unrelated to precise tub merchandise.
Kindle and Cole had their Homeland Safety credentials suspended however haven’t been fired, in keeping with court docket paperwork.
Cole has pleaded not responsible to his drug distribution conspiracy cost and can stand trial the week of Feb. 24. He faces a most of 20 years if convicted.
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