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U. S. Department of Justice
Office of the Inspector General

Semiannual Report to Congress, April 1, 2000 - September 30, 2000

THE INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION

badge    The Investigations Division investigates allegations of bribery, fraud, abuse, civil rights violations, and violations of other laws and procedures that govern Department of Justice employees, contractors, and grantees.

The Investigations Division (Investigations) investigates allegations of bribery, fraud, abuse, civil rights violations, and violations of other laws and procedures that govern Department employees, contractors, and grantees. Investigations develops cases for criminal prosecution and civil and administrative action. In many instances, the OIG refers less serious allegations to components within the Department for appropriate action and, in the more important cases that are referred, reviews their findings and disciplinary action taken.

Investigations carries out its mission through the work of its special agents who are assigned to offices across the country. Currently, Investigations has field offices in Chicago, El Paso, Los Angeles, McAllen, Miami, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Tucson, and Washington, D.C. (the Washington Field Office and Fraud Detection Office), and smaller, area offices in Atlanta, Boston, Colorado Springs, Dallas, El Centro, Houston, and Seattle. Investigations Headquarters, in Washington, D.C., consists of the immediate office of the Assistant Inspector General and three branches: Operations, Investigative Support, and Policy and Administration.

Geographic areas covered by the field offices are indicated on the map below. In addition, the San Francisco office covers Alaska; the San Diego office covers Hawaii, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa; and the Miami office covers Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

During this reporting period, Investigations received 4,432 complaints. It opened 282 investigations and closed 254. It made 81 arrests involving 31 Department employees, 39 civilians, and 11 Department contract personnel. Convictions resulted in 56 individuals receiving sentences ranging from probation to more than 12 years' incarceration and fines, recoveries, and orders of restitution totaling $856,366. As a result of OIG investigations, 11 employees and 4 contract employees received disciplinary action, including 9 who were terminated. In addition, 31 employees and 11 contract employees resigned either during or at the conclusion of the investigations.

Geographic areas covered by the field offices


SIGNIFICANT INVESTIGATIONS

Following are some of the cases investigated during this reporting period.

Bribery

Attempts To Corrupt Department Employees

Introduction of Contraband

Alien Smuggling

Drug Smuggling

Sexual Abuse

Fraud

Theft

Conflict Of Interest

Obstruction of Justice

Misconduct

Civil Rights

The San Diego Field Office continues to receive numerous allegations of civil rights violations committed by Department employees against illegal aliens. Working in concert with the Consul General of Mexico, the San Diego Field Office ensures that all allegations of civil rights violations are tracked and receive proper disposition, including the opening of an OIG investigation, if appropriate. The USAO for the Southern District of California and the Civil Rights Section of the Criminal Division continue to vigorously pursue prosecution of such matters. Presently, the San Diego Field Office has five criminal civil rights investigations at various stages of the judicial process.

During this reporting period, a Border Patrol agent assigned to the Temecula Border Patrol Station surrendered and pled guilty to charges of obstruction of justice in the Southern District of California and agreed to resign from the Border Patrol. The OIG San Diego Field Office, assisted by the FBI, initiated an investigation after receiving an allegation from a local civil rights group that a legal resident had been assaulted by an unknown Border Patrol agent near a local highway. The investigation developed evidence that, following a vehicle stop, the Border Patrol agent beat a man he suspected was an alien smuggler and then instructed his partner to omit information about the incident in his written report. The Border Patrol agent was sentenced to 6 months' home confinement and 3 years' probation.


INVESTIGATIONS STATISTICS

The following chart summarizes the workload and accomplishments of Investigations during the 6-month period ending September 30, 2000.

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