U.S. agents, officials commit crimes in Mexico: media

MEXICO CITY, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least nine U.S. agents and officials have committed various crimes in Mexico since 2009, and some have received minor sentences, an investigation by the Mexican newspaper Milenio said Friday.

It stated that the violations were identified by the Attorney General's Office of the U.S. Department of Justice and other U.S. agencies, in "cases of sexual abuse, corruption and even collusion with drug trafficking."

The probe, based on an analysis of U.S. government audits and reports, detailed that Brian Jeffrey Raymond, former first secretary of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, committed crimes on Mexican soil while on official business.

According to case records, Raymond is accused of the sexual abuse of at least 23 women, nine of them in the Mexican capital, in a U.S. diplomatic facilities residence.

Despite the seriousness of the accusations and the evidence against him, his trial continues up to the present, Milenio highlighted.

In addition, Richard Padilla Cramer, a federal agent with the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection who worked for the U.S. government for 26 years, "used his privileged position in the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara" to pass sensitive information to organized crime, it continued.

Despite evidence against him, "he was only sentenced to 24 months in prison," the newspaper said.

Other U.S. officials mentioned in the investigation were implicated in corruption or complicity with drug trafficking, in many cases taking advantage of their position or access to privileged confidential information.