Pubdate: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2003 The New York Times Company Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298 Authors: William K Rashbaum and Michael Wilson Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1137/a07.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm ( Corruption - United States) A FORMER DRUG AGENCY OFFICIAL FACES CHARGES OF STEALING FUNDS A former senior official in the Drug Enforcement Administration's New York office is expected to be charged this week with stealing more than $150,000 from the agency's funds used to pay informants and other incidental expenses, according to a law enforcement official. The former official, Kevin Tamez, who resigned several months ago as a result of the investigation, first came under scrutiny last year and was suspended in March. Mr. Tamez, 50, held the position of associate special agent in charge of the New York office. He is expected to be charged with as many as 200 counts of theft and related charges, the official said. In some cases, Mr. Tamez sent junior agents to withdraw between $1,000 and $3,000 from the accounts, indicating it was for investigative purposes, the official said. An indictment brought in federal court in Manhattan charging Mr. Tamez is expected to be unsealed sometime this week, the official said. Mr. Tamez, reached yesterday at his home in Mount Laurel, N.J., said, "I have no comment." Mr. Tamaz, who served as the office's associate special agent in charge, will be one of the highest-ranking officials in the drug agency to face criminal charges for actions committed as part of his duties, the official said. The New York field division of the Drug Enforcement Administration is the agency's largest office in the country. Michael Kulstad, a spokesman for the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, had no comment yesterday. A spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration in Washington said last night that he had no information on the case. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake