Source: Secret Service agent dead of apparent suicide

Washington (CNN) -- A Secret Service agent suspected of having a romantic relationship with a Mexican woman is dead of an apparent suicide, a law enforcement official told CNN Thursday.

I just found out about this through the scrolling newsfeed on BBC America's morning show. Other than that I've been watching CNN all morning and they have yet to bring this up. Surprising, seeing as the CNN link was the first to show up when I searched for this article...

Prieto could have been in violation of Secret Service protocols if he had not informed superiors about a personal relationship with a foreign national. Such relationships came under a spotlight after agents sent to Cartagena, Colombia, in advance of President Obama's trip earlier this year spent time partying with prostitutes.

And source

This case is really mind boggling to me. They seem to provide the reason why he committed suicide, even though that reason is unrealistic. So this guy goes out with a girl hes not supposed to be with, somehow he decides he has to kill himself as a result? Something seems a little off to me, what yall think?

A 20 year career secret service veteran just offs himself over a romantic fling?
He must not have loved her very much then.
You're right, this makes little sense.
He probably saw something he wasn't supposed to and you know...the Vince Foster treatment perhaps?
Shame we'll probably never know.

I find the timing too close the BenghaziGate affair to discount the possibility of being coincidental.

Apparently he was also married, and he had been restricted from accessing Secret Service secure facilities. He was found dead in his running vehicle.

This happened a month ago though? Why the reporting of it now? Is this a political leak? You'd think there would have been some reports the day he was found dead, but I'm not finding any so far.

ETA:
Dirty rats! One of the agents entangled in the Columbian prostitution scandal disclosed the affair of this long-time distinguished agent. What a scumbag! A long-term love affair with a foreign national is not the same thing as stiffing a hooker in a hotel ahead of the president's arrival. Whoever the source of that information is needs some serious karmic justice.

reply to post by doesntmakesense


I think he knew something he wasn't supposed to know. He saw something he wasn't supposed to see. Or he threatened somebody he shouldn't have threatened. So they got rid of him simple as that, it happens more than you think.

reply to post by doesntmakesense


Sad story, and you're right about that being a fishy reason for a suicide, most likely he was just depressed as is usually the case.

Originally posted by cavalryscout
reply to post by doesntmakesense

 

I think he knew something he wasn't supposed to know. He saw something he wasn't supposed to see. Or he threatened somebody he shouldn't have threatened. So they got rid of him simple as that, it happens more than you think.

NATURALLY!!! What evidence do you have to support such a wild conjecture? Secret Servicmembers are immune to depression??

Originally posted by doesntmakesense


This case is really mind boggling to me. They seem to provide the reason why he committed suicide, even though that reason is unrealistic. So this guy goes out with a girl hes not supposed to be with, somehow he decides he has to kill himself as a result? Something seems a little off to me, what yall think?

Had the same questions...immediate thoughts..

Is he married? If this is an affair that went public and his wife and kids are leaving him etc. it's a possible motive for suicide.

If single/unmarried...that is more frightening. Iran's secret police tried to use what they thought was a Mexican cartel member to assisinate a middle east ambassador on US soil. The cartel member ended up being an undercover agent for the USA.

It's possible, since this agent was assigned to Pres. Obama, that a Mexican woman was hired to seduce him to gather intelligence for a 3rd party on the Presidents planned routes etc. and when it was uncovered by US agents he killed himself rather than face the consequences.

Either way US Secret Service/FBI is likely all over the woman trying to find out who she is, if she was paid, if she works for someone, what might have been compromised etc.

The reason the Secret Service is required to disclose relationships with "foriegn nationals" is for that very reason. This agent didn't tell the Secret Service about the relationship. If he is married...maybe that is why, if not...then that speaks to some scary possibilities and he is no longer around to answer questions.

Originally posted by Asktheanimals


I find the timing too close the BenghaziGate affair to discount the possibility of being coincidental.

edit on 2-11-2012 by Asktheanimals because: added comment

Secret Service is a long way from CIA, NSA and other alphabet agencies. Their mission, aside from the occassional counter-fitting bust, is to protect the President and other officials.

See My post above...He killed himself due to (1) Wife leaving him over the affair and his career comming to a close And/Or (2) He was compromised - sharing information (routes and meetings of the President) with the Mexican woman either knowingly or unknowingly and she has connections to a 3rd party hostile other nation.

The Secret Service confirmed Thursday that Prieto's death last Saturday is currently being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, along with the medical examiner's office. No official determination of death has been made.

So there is no confirmation of this suicide which appears to be the axiomatic approach to the headline:

Source: Secret Service agent dead of apparent suicide

Further,

Prieto's access to Secret Service facilities had been suspended while authorities were looking into his apparently unreported and long-term relationship with a foreign national, the law enforcement official said.

"There is nothing to indicate that any classified or sensitive information was compromised as a result of this relationship," according to the source.

He was not "under investigation" and this was an "administrative process." A more thoroughly uninformative response could not have been formulated.

So far, the only place I am seeing suicide as the meme to apply to this is the reporting. And some "unnamed" official (who, by the way, is breaking the law by offering comments on a case of this nature at this point in time.)

This could be entirely a personal tragedy, it could be your standard media-justice collaboration deals (like "Robert Kennedy was killed by Sirhan Sirhan.")

reply to post by NOTurTypical

.......Secret Servicmembers are immune to depression??

Frankly, no one is immune, I suppose.

I can think of no greater vulnerability to anyone's security then relying on someone who is truly depressed. I would assume that any applicant to such a position would agree that anyone suffering from depression would be removed from duty until such time as the condition is dealt with.

I think this is either a media production, a government-media production, a political-media production... or a very important and noteworthy element of a larger story... in that order.

Suicide my @$$
2

An unreported relationship with a foreign national is a career-killer. His security clearance get's yanked, he has no job.

His career and his marriage was falling apart, he took the easy way out.