FBI agent accused of multiple rapes was found not guilty of attempted murder 2 years ago
Eduardo Valdivia allegedly raped two women in a tattoo studio in Gaithersburg, Maryland, according to officials. In 2022, Valdivia was found not guilty on multiple charges of shooting a man on a train.
Nov. 26, 2024
An FBI agent was arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual assault two years after he was acquitted of attempted murder.
Eduardo Valdivia, 40, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, is charged with two counts of second-degree rape, four counts of fourth-degree sexual offense and four counts of second-degree assault, according to a Tuesday statement from the Montgomery County Police Department.
Two women allege they were raped inside a tattoo studio, andpolice say Valdivia may be have additional victims.
Police say the two women were raped inside DC Fine Line Tattoos, a studio on Washingtonian Boulevard in Gaithersburg,operated by Valivida under an alias.
The first woman said she was raped in October by a man named “Lalo Brown.” A second woman came forward this month with a similar report of sexual assault, police said.
During a news conference on Tuesday,police say Valdivia was luring victims online through an Instagram pagedevoted to a tattoo business operated by him under the alias Lalo Brown.
The first woman was offered a free tattoo in exchange for modeling art work, police said. When she returned to the studio a second time for a photo shoot and a modeling contract, that's when Valdivia sexually assaulted her, police said.
After the first assault, police say the woman was coerced and threatened with legal action if she did not return to comply with the contract=. The woman returned for a second shoot at a nearby hotel and was again sexually assaulted by Valdivia, police said.
Valdivia met the second alleged victim through the same Instagram account, and police said there are other women on the tattoo shop's social media page who could be additional victims.
Montgomery County Police Department Assistant Chief Nicholas Augustine saidinvestigators are concerned some women may not come forward because they signed contracts.
“We want the community to know that no matter if you sign a contract, that does not allow for you to be sexually assaulted,” he said during the media briefing.
Valdivia's alleged victims said they believed they had been communicating with a woman before they met him.Both women positively identified Valdivia as their assailant, police said.
Valdivia was being held at the Montgomery County Detention Center on Tuesday afternoon without bond, a jail representative said. His attorney was not immediately reached for comment.
The FBI Washington Field Office s noaid in a statement the agency is cooperating with Montgomery police in their investigation of Valdivia. He is suspended pending the police investigation, the FBI said.
“The FBI takes allegations of criminal violations and misconduct very seriously,” the statement said. “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.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fbi-agent-accused-multiple-rapes-was-found-not-guilty-attempted-murder-rcna181902