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| Prosecutors in Maryland, Virginia reviewing cases amid investigation into FBI agent | Prosecutors in Maryland, Virginia reviewing cases amid investigation into FBI agent |
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| An FBI agent accused of tampering with drug and gun evidence, forcing authorities in the District to drop charges against more than two dozen defendants, “is devastated by what has occurred here” and wants to cooperate with investigators, his attorney said Thursday. | An FBI agent accused of tampering with drug and gun evidence, forcing authorities in the District to drop charges against more than two dozen defendants, “is devastated by what has occurred here” and wants to cooperate with investigators, his attorney said Thursday. |
| The attorney, Robert C. Bonsib, called some of the accusations “grossly overblown” but said his client “intends to fully cooperate with investigators and will assist both the FBI and other authorities that are involved with this matter.” He said the 33-year-old agent, Matthew Lowry, wants “to help bring this matter to a fast conclusion.” | The attorney, Robert C. Bonsib, called some of the accusations “grossly overblown” but said his client “intends to fully cooperate with investigators and will assist both the FBI and other authorities that are involved with this matter.” He said the 33-year-old agent, Matthew Lowry, wants “to help bring this matter to a fast conclusion.” |
| Authorities have not detailed the allegations against Lowry but said he has been suspended. The Justice Department’s inspector general is conducting a misconduct investigation. Andrew Ames, spokesman for the FBI’s Washington field office, said Thursday that the “weapons reference in the court filings are in the government’s possession.” He declined to elaborate, but said the bureau wanted the public to know there are no missing guns on the streets. | |
| Even without details of the case being made public, prosecutors in two states and the District are taking action. Just weeks after the investigation began at the end of September, prosecutors were pulling felons out of prison and allowing them to go home and await developments. | |
| Federal prosecutors in Maryland and Virginia also are working to determine whether any involved Lowry, who was assigned to a cross-border task force in the Washington field office, which involves local police and concentrates on crime along the District’s boundaries with Maryland and Virginia. | Federal prosecutors in Maryland and Virginia also are working to determine whether any involved Lowry, who was assigned to a cross-border task force in the Washington field office, which involves local police and concentrates on crime along the District’s boundaries with Maryland and Virginia. |
| Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia, said prosecutors were reviewing their cases but so far had not found that the agent was involved in any significant matters. Marcia Murphy, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland, said, “We are reviewing all cases the agent may have been involved in to determine his role.” | Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia, said prosecutors were reviewing their cases but so far had not found that the agent was involved in any significant matters. Marcia Murphy, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland, said, “We are reviewing all cases the agent may have been involved in to determine his role.” |
| Bonsib said Lowry wants to “help investigators get a better idea of what happened and didn’t happen. He intends to make himself fully available and help authorities get a handle on the real facts that occurred here.” He declined to cite specifics. | Bonsib said Lowry wants to “help investigators get a better idea of what happened and didn’t happen. He intends to make himself fully available and help authorities get a handle on the real facts that occurred here.” He declined to cite specifics. |
| Meanwhile, the full scope of how the alleged misconduct is impacting cases came into clearer view. Hearings are scheduled for Thursday afternoon and Friday in federal court in the District, during which cases against some drug defendants could be dismissed. | Meanwhile, the full scope of how the alleged misconduct is impacting cases came into clearer view. Hearings are scheduled for Thursday afternoon and Friday in federal court in the District, during which cases against some drug defendants could be dismissed. |
| In an unusual flurry of filings Wednesday night, the U.S. attorney’s office in the District said they would drop charges against 28 defendants in three separate drug cases, including 17 who had already pleaded guilty. Many of them had recently been sentenced up to 10 years in prison, and prosecutors said their terms would be vacated. | In an unusual flurry of filings Wednesday night, the U.S. attorney’s office in the District said they would drop charges against 28 defendants in three separate drug cases, including 17 who had already pleaded guilty. Many of them had recently been sentenced up to 10 years in prison, and prosecutors said their terms would be vacated. |
| But the complexities of the judicial system do not make even dropping charges easy. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon rejected, at least for now, a move to dismiss drug charges against four defendants in a relatively minor case that prosecutors said may be tainted by the agent. | |
| The judge said he wanted more information about the government wanting to dismiss the case “without prejudice,” which would allow prosecutors to refile the charges in the future. Leon said “the government wants its cake and to eat it too,” indicating he might accept a bid to dismiss the case “with prejudice,” barring further prosecution. | |
| At the same time, Leon said the drug case was serious and he didn’t want to release the defendants without additional information, citing a need to “protect the public interest.” He said, “We’re going to move very carefully. Slowly. No sprinting.” | |
| The judge sent another hearing for Dec. 10. | |
| Elita C. Amato, an attorney for defendant Darnell Jackson, said the defense attorneys had hoped their clients would be released. “I certainly understand the judge’s precautions and concerns,” Amato said after the hearing. | |
| Amato, who said she has two other clients whose cases also could be dismissed in connection with the investigation, said she was surprised when she received dismissal motions concerning the FBI agent. “Obviously, there’s a lot going on here that we don’t know about,” she said. | |
| Two of the other drug cases involved months of investigation, wiretaps, surveillance and raids on more than two dozen homes and other locations. In one case in which charges are being dropped against 14 defendants, police said they seized more than 2.2 pounds of heroin and cocaine that was being shipped from California to the District and Maryland. | |
| It is unclear the role, if any, the agent had in any of the cases. One court document unsealed Wednesday said he participated in the search of a home and vehicle in Southern Maryland. | It is unclear the role, if any, the agent had in any of the cases. One court document unsealed Wednesday said he participated in the search of a home and vehicle in Southern Maryland. |
| Court documents made public on Wednesday said the agent is accused of tampering with evidence that includes drugs and firearms, but was not more specific. Two law enforcement officials familiar with the case said the agent that in late September, the agent was found slumped over the wheel of his unmarked FBI vehicle near the Navy Yard in Southeast Washington, with two empty bags thought to have contained drugs in the car. | Court documents made public on Wednesday said the agent is accused of tampering with evidence that includes drugs and firearms, but was not more specific. Two law enforcement officials familiar with the case said the agent that in late September, the agent was found slumped over the wheel of his unmarked FBI vehicle near the Navy Yard in Southeast Washington, with two empty bags thought to have contained drugs in the car. |
| Bonsib would not comment on specifics of the case but he said that Lowry graduated with honors from the FBI academy and that “law enforcement was his life’s dream.” | Bonsib would not comment on specifics of the case but he said that Lowry graduated with honors from the FBI academy and that “law enforcement was his life’s dream.” |
| His father, William Lowry, is the assistant chief of the Anne Arundel County Police Department, had served 27 years on the Prince George’s police force and headed security details for two NFL teams, including the Washington Redskins. The elder Lowry declined to comment through a spokesman for the Anne Arundel department. | His father, William Lowry, is the assistant chief of the Anne Arundel County Police Department, had served 27 years on the Prince George’s police force and headed security details for two NFL teams, including the Washington Redskins. The elder Lowry declined to comment through a spokesman for the Anne Arundel department. |
| Anne Arundel County Police spokesman T.J. Smith said, “We are aware of the situation regarding the adult son of our Assistant Chief. This is a personal family matter that our Assistant Chief is dealing with.” | Anne Arundel County Police spokesman T.J. Smith said, “We are aware of the situation regarding the adult son of our Assistant Chief. This is a personal family matter that our Assistant Chief is dealing with.” |
| Adam Goldman, Lynh Bui and Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report. | Adam Goldman, Lynh Bui and Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report. |