A second Department of Homeland Security agent in Utah was arrested and charged in federal court docket on accusations of utilizing a confidential informant to promote illicit medication that had been seized as proof.
Nicholas Kindle, a particular agent investigating unlawful narcotics trafficking, was arrested three weeks after the arrest of his alleged co-conspirator, particular agent David Cole. The two males are every charged with felony drug distribution conspiracy, whereas Kindle additionally faces a cost of conspiracy to transform property of the U.S. authorities for revenue.
A decide set Kindle’s preliminary court docket look for Jan. 21 in Salt Lake City. He might face as many as 25 years in jail if convicted.
Cole was indicted final month by a grand jury, however Kindle was formally charged in an data doc from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which doesn’t require grand jury approval to provoke legal proceedings.
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A second Department of Homeland Security agent in Utah was charged for allegedly utilizing a confidential informant to promote illicit medication from proof. (iStock)
Cole has pleaded not responsible to his drug distribution conspiracy cost and can stand trial beginning Feb. 24. If convicted, he might face as many as 20 years in jail.
Kindle and Cole had their Homeland Security credentials suspended however haven’t been fired.
Prosecutors accuse Kindle and Cole of abusing their positions to accumulate unlawful medication referred to as “tub salts” from Homeland Security proof and from different legislation enforcement personnel, together with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, falsely claiming that they might use the medication for legit investigations.
The pair allegedly started stealing medication from proof and mendacity to fellow brokers in regards to the cause for gathering them in 2021. Kindle and Cole additionally allegedly stole 1000’s of {dollars} in money, a diamond ring and a Peruvian antiquity from proof.
Nicholas Kindle, a particular agent investigating unlawful narcotics trafficking, was arrested three weeks after the arrest of his alleged co-conspirator, particular agent David Cole. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Between 2022 and 2024, Kindle and Cole allegedly sold the drugs to an individual recognized in court docket paperwork solely as a “supply of data” for the division who they allowed to resell the medication, and they didn’t arrest the purchasers.
The FBI says between $195,000 and $300,000 was made by way of the scheme.
The two brokers allegedly later compelled a confidential informant recruited to conduct managed buys from suspected sellers after he was free of jail to take the function as the brand new intermediary.
Kindle and Cole used an encrypted messaging app to offer the informant with assembly places, which included a Panera Bread restaurant and a Nike retailer, in response to an FBI affidavit.
The FBI launched an investigation in October 2024 after the informant’s lawyer contacted the U.S. Attorney in Utah and mentioned that Kindle and Cole had required him to take part in probably illegal acts, the affidavit mentioned.
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Kindle and Cole had their Homeland Security credentials suspended however haven’t been fired. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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Investigators started monitoring the brokers and recorded eight cases wherein medication had been illegally bought to the informant.
In one occasion, the informant gave the FBI a plastic foam cup with a granular substance inside that examined constructive for medication. The informant mentioned the brokers left the cup for him in a car parking zone trash can.
Synthetic tub salts, also referred to as Alpha-PVP or cathinone, are believed to be just like methamphetamine, cocaine or ecstasy, and are unrelated to precise tub merchandise.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
