National
FBI Agent Is Arrested On Sexual Assault Charges
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Eduardo Valdivia, who was previously acquitted of attempted murder for shooting a man on a Metro subway train near D.C., was arrested on Monday on sexual assault charges.
A bureau spokesperson said in a statement that the FBI has suspended Valdivia pending the conclusion of a police investigation in Montgomery County, Maryland.
“The FBI takes allegations of criminal violations and misconduct very seriously. We are aware of the matter involving the recent arrest of an FBI employee and are fully cooperating with the Montgomery County Police Department. Because this is an ongoing investigation, the FBI cannot comment further,” the FBI said in a statement.
The alleged offenses are reported to have occurred in May 2024 and September 2024.
Defense attorney Robert Bonsib, who represented Valdivia in the shooting case, confirmed that his client had been arrested.
“We don’t accept at first blush any of the allegations until all of the evidence is in,” Bonsib said.
In a statement, detectives said that they believe there may be additional victims, and they’re planning a news conference on Tuesday “to encourage them to come forward.”
Authorities have not released any other information about the charges.
On December 15th, 2020, a heated exchange between Valdivia and an unarmed passenger on a train near the Medical Center station in Bethesda, Maryland, quickly escalated into a shooting.
According to county prosecutor Robert Hill, Valdivia shot the man from a distance of approximately 2 to 3 feet “after repeatedly warning him to step back.” The victim sustained severe injuries in the incident, requiring surgery that resulted in the removal of “part or all” of his spleen, colon, and pancreas.
Nevertheless, Valdivia’s attorney, Bruce Bonsib, argued that Valdivia had acted in self-defense, claiming that the man was advancing towards him at the rear of the train car.
