US Marshal Arrested for Revealing Agent's Identity, Could Face 20 Years
U.S. Deputy Marshal Lucio Osbaldo Moya has been arrested on charges of obstruction and being an accessory; he now faces 20 years in prison if convicted of the charges, which stem from him allegedly revealing the identity of an undercover agent.
Moya revealed the identity of an undercover agent to his father, who was suspected of being involved in drug trafficking, prosecutors said. That put the agent's life in danger and forced the Department of Homeland Security's Office to contact his supervisor and issue a warning. It's unknown whether the agent was then pulled from his assignment or remains in the field.
Last year, Moya's father received a photographed copy of a driver's license that the undercover Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent had given him. He was unaware that the copy was part of a larger assignment to bring down the drug-smuggling operation and gave the photograph to his son, Moya.
Moya then did his own research and learned that the man who supplied the photograph was actually an undercover ICE agent and told his father, thereby putting the agent in grave danger. He told authorities different stories as to how he came into possession of the copy, only discrediting himself even more.
ICE agents, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested several of their targets in the drug smuggling ring, which included Moya's father. The disclosure of the agent's identity seemingly forced the administration's hand and caused them to move in as a matter of safety.
Moya's father was sentenced to 10 years in prison earlier this year for smuggling marijuana. He was tried separately from his son, whom officials did not charge with drug smuggling. Instead, Moya has been charged with being an accessory and obstruction.
The more serious of the two charges, being an accessory, could land him in prison for 20 years. Moya was able to post $75,000 bond and had to surrender his passport. As part of the agreement, he also has to wear an electric monitor and remain under home detention.
