Pubdate: Fri, 23 Oct 2015 Source: Boston Globe (MA) Copyright: 2015 Associated Press Contact: http://services.bostonglobe.com/news/opeds/letter.aspx?id=6340 Website: http://bostonglobe.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/52 Author: Michael Biesecker, Associated Press DEA AGENTS INVOLVED IN MISCONDUCT STILL GOT BONUSES, WATCHDOG SAYS WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal watchdog found that eight Drug Enforcement Administration employees who were investigated about sexual misconduct allegations later improperly received cash bonuses and performance awards from the agency. The Justice Department's inspector general issued findings Thursday in its review of whether any of 14 employees implicated in questionable behavior later received favorable personnel actions. An inspector general report in March detailed three episodes of serious misconduct, including agents who admitted having sex with prostitutes while stationed overseas. Among the allegations were that DEA agents attended sex parties funded by local drug cartels and took cash, expensive gifts, and weapons. Though some of the agents and their supervisors were issued reprimands or suspended from duty for between 2 and 10 days, the review found eight still received thousands of dollars in merit bonuses. DEA policy generally prohibits employees from getting such rewards for a period of three years after being disciplined for misconduct or while an investigation is pending. Though "integrity checks" are required before an employee is rewarded, the review found DEA failed to follow the agency's procedures. In a statement, DEA spokeswoman Barbara Carreno said the agency accepts the report's recommendations. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom