36-year-old Nicholas Anthony Williams, who worked on the counterterrorism and criminal violent gang squads, was indicted last year on charges of theft, making false statements, and fraud, with court documents noting that he took advantage of his position as a federal agent to steal money and other property from people in searches and use it for his own personal gain.
Some of the items that he stole included cell phones, silver bars, government-issued property, and cash. He also made false claims about charges he made on his FBI issued credit card; he said they were case-related expenses, but they turned out to be fraudulent charges. In his guilty plea, he admitted to committing five thefts from 2020 to 2023.
One of his victims was a Houston college student who was sentenced to a year of probation after taking part in peaceful protests inside the U.S. Capitol building in the events of January 6. Alexander Fan's home was searched by the FBI, and he was charged with nonviolent trespassing-related misdemeanors.
Following the search of his home, he reported that multiple items were missing from his bedroom, including silver bars and $1,500 in cash. However, none of these items appeared in the search warrant's list of items that were seized during the search.
In other thefts, Williams admitted to taking $4,000 in cash in a 2022 raid and $1,200 in a 2020 search in Houston. According to court documents, he used some of the money that he stole to buy firearms. He also tried to sell the silver bars that he stole to a number of buyers and pawned FBI-owned property.
The FBI has also accused him of stealing cell phones from the agency. He allegedly took a total of more than $10,000 in cash and assets from five victims.
Complaints by victims and internal investigations by the agency pointed to Williams, who is now awaiting sentencing. He is facing as much as ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas, noted: "Williams betrayed the legacy and the community's trust when he decided to pad his own pockets at the expense of a citizen's rights. Because no one is above the law, the system of justice that he once swore to protect will now seek to hold him to account for breaking that oath.”
Case shows that abuse of power remains a problem
This case is shining a spotlight on the problem of abuse of power in law enforcement agencies. These types of incidents can and do undermine the public's trust in law enforcement. Making matters even more complicated is Williams' targeting of a nonviolent J6 defendant. Many Americans believe that federal agencies have unfairly targeted people who were involved in the protests that day, and this case is yet another example of it.
Many are hoping that the bad publicity surrounding Williams’s crimes will lead to better oversight and transparency among federal agencies like the FBI. Some are demanding reforms that hold federal agents accountable for their behavior.
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