Senator Leahy Slams DEA For Impersonating A Woman On Facebook

from the but-what-will-happen dept

Apparently, it's not just Facebook that is furious with the DEA for impersonating a woman, posting pictures from her phone, in an attempt to get evidence concerning a drug dealer. Senator Patrick Leahy has now sent an angry letter to the DOJ about this situation as well.
I am greatly concerned by recent reports that the Drug Enforcement Administration used the identity of an unsuspecting young woman to create a public Facebook profile to interact with suspected drug traffickers. This extraordinary tactic placed this woman and her family at risk, and I expect the Justice Department to reconsider the use of such techniques.
Senator Leahy didn't hold back in explaining just why this whole situation was "appalling."
Viewers of the fake profile, which was only removed from Facebook this month, could believe the woman was currently involved with illicit activities or was actively cooperating with a law enforcement investigation. The DEA agent's decision to post suggestive photographs of the woman as well as pictures of her young child and niece is appalling and placed them at even greater risk.

I understand that cooperating defendants often provide critical assistance to criminal investigations. However, the decision to cooperate and the nature of that cooperation is a decision to be made by the defendant and the defendant alone. Law enforcement agencies should not risk the safety of innocents or those who are serving their debt to society without their knowledge or consent. Although the Justice Department has indicated that this incident is under review, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York has thus far defended the practice. I hope the Justice Department will agree that creating an online profile using an unsuspecting person's identity to communicate with criminals is unethical, potentially dangerous, and should not be condoned by our nation's law enforcement agencies.
However, remember, this is the very same DOJ which has argued in other cases that violating the terms of service of certain websites is a violation of the CFAA. But, of course, when the government itself does it, in much more appalling situations, they don't seem to think there's any problem.
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Filed Under: dea, doj, impersonation, patrick leahy
Companies: facebook


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  1. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Oct 2014 @ 2:50pm

    Mike Rogers would say the DOJ should be charged with Murder...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Oct 2014 @ 2:59pm

    Yet another case of the government acting on the philosophy of "the ends justify the means".

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Oct 2014 @ 3:23pm

    Smartphone encryption might have prevented this

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. icon
    Mason Wheeler (profile), 22 Oct 2014 @ 3:30pm

    Unethical and potentially dangerous?

    I'd go a step beyond that. If I did something like that, couldn't I be charged with identity theft, fraud, and a handful of similar ugliness?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. icon
    That One Guy (profile), 22 Oct 2014 @ 3:41pm

    Re:

    No, he almost certainly wouldn't.

    Because it was the government putting the woman and her kid at risk, and since 'The government is always right', clearly any risk is an acceptable one. /s

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Scote, 22 Oct 2014 @ 3:52pm

    Not so much

    "Smartphone encryption might have prevented this"

    Not so much...

    https://xkcd.com/538/

    They got her "consent" to go through her phone...just not to use the photos. They could have just as easily intimidated her into giving a password as they did to get her "consent".

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Oct 2014 @ 4:59pm

    Re:

    Rogers would pat the DEA agent on the back.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Oct 2014 @ 5:01pm

    Re:

    and Treason

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Oct 2014 @ 5:02pm

    Put the DEA agent in prison and see how prisoners treat people who endanger children he'll get a quick lesson on exploitation.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    beech, 22 Oct 2014 @ 5:07pm

    The "slam" is nice I guess, but what is anyone actually going to DO about it. Lets see some of the cops in jail over this.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Oct 2014 @ 5:23pm

    Re:

    They will get a paid vacation

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Oct 2014 @ 5:37pm

    Do you solemnly swear to urinate and defaecate upon the constitution of the united states of America, so help you god? I do do.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Oct 2014 @ 6:58pm

    Think of the children! For shame DEA, for shame.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    David, 22 Oct 2014 @ 8:34pm

    Re:

    More like "Yes, we can!"

    link to this | view in thread ]

  15. identicon
    Techanon, 22 Oct 2014 @ 9:03pm

    Re: Re:

    which is argable the same thing.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  16. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Oct 2014 @ 11:38pm

    That judge dread comment "I am the law" springs to mind every time law enforcement acts like the laws do not apply to them.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  17. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Oct 2014 @ 2:56am

    So, what sort of penalties are attached to doing something that isn't "condoned?"

    Tangentially connected pop-culture reference:

    Is that how it’s done? Hm?
    “Objection, your Honor!”
    “Overruled”
    “No, no. I STRENUOUSLY object.”
    “Oh! You strenuously object. Then I’ll take some time and reconsider.”

    link to this | view in thread ]


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