Deputy U.S. Marshal Indicted and Arrested for Conspiracy, Cyber Stalking and Perjury

On May 13, 2021, a Deputy U.S. Marshal assigned to the U.S. District Courthouse in Los Angeles, CA, was arrested following an Indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy, one count of cyber stalking, and one count of perjury.  Ian Diaz was indicted in the Central District of California.  According to the Indictment, from at least in or about May 2016 through at least in or about September 2016, Diaz along with his former wife, who is alleged to be an unindicted co-conspirator, conspired to harass and intimidate an individual with whom Diaz was formerly in a relationship, identified as Jane Doe to protect her privacy, by framing her for criminal conduct that she did not commit.  According to the Indictment, Diaz and his former wife sent to themselves harassing and threatening electronic communications that contained apparent threats to harm Diaz’s former wife; solicited and lured men found through Craigslist “personal” advertisements to engage in so-called “rape fantasies” in an attempt to stage a purported sexual assault on Diaz’s former wife; and staged one or more hoax sexual assaults and attempted sexual assaults on Diaz’s former wife.  Diaz and his former wife then allegedly reported this conduct to local law enforcement, falsely claiming that Jane Doe posed a genuine and serious threat to Diaz and his former wife, and thereby caused local law enforcement to arrest, charge, and ultimately detain Jane Doe in jail for nearly three months for conduct for which they framed her and in fact perpetrated themselves.  According to the Indictment, Diaz and his former wife also allegedly took steps to conceal their conduct including using falsely registered email accounts, using virtual private networks to access the internet anonymously, and communicating with one another using encrypted messaging services.  Diaz also allegedly provided false testimony in a deposition in connection with a federal civil lawsuit filed by Jane Doe.  The investigation is being conducted by the OIG’s Cyber Investigations Office with substantial assistance provided by the OIG’s Los Angeles Field Office.