OAKLAND – In a shocking turn of events, Paul Raymond Flood, a 54-year-old former FBI agent from Castro Valley, has been indicted on charges of cyberstalking, witness tampering, and obstruction of a criminal investigation by bribery.
According to the indictment, which was filed May 16, 2024, and unsealed today, Flood was a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2007 through 2019. In early October 2018, Flood met a first-year law student, referred to in the indictment as “Victim-1” or “V-1,” who had contacted him for information on pursuing a future career with the FBI. A family member of V-1’s, referred to in the indictment as “B-1,” knew Flood and referred V-1 to him.
Flood allegedly began to make unwelcome romantic advances toward V-1 and engage in a pattern of harassing and intimidating conduct. The indictment charges that, among other conduct, Flood had a diamond ring delivered to V-1 in mid-October 2018; used different numbers and messaging applications to call and text V-1, creating and using at least 79 different numbers between mid-October 2018 through September 2019; sent messages demonstrating that he was surveilling V-1 and her family; and repeatedly pressured B-1 to have V-1 call or unblock Flood.
Although V-1 initially did not report Flood due to her family’s fear of retaliation, V-1 reported him in June 2019 to federal and local law enforcement authorities. Shortly thereafter, the FBI suspended Flood from duty and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) opened an investigation into Flood’s conduct. In response, Flood allegedly employed various means to pressure, harass, intimidate, and persuade V-1 to help him by not providing statements or testimony in the investigations against him, including threatening to commit suicide, offering V-1 various bribes, and pressuring V-1’s family members to persuade her not to cooperate with law enforcement.
The indictment charges Flood with one count of cyberstalking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2)(B), two counts of witness tampering by intimidation, threats, corrupt persuasion, or misleading conduct in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(b)(2) and (b)(3), one count of witness tampering by harassment in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(d), and one count of obstruction of a criminal investigation by bribery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1510(a). If convicted, Flood faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each witness tampering count under 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b), three years in prison on the witness tampering count under 18 U.S.C. § 1512(d), and five years in prison on each count of cyberstalking and obstruction.
Flood is currently on conditional release. His next appearance in federal court is scheduled for January 15, 2025.
The United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Zachary Shroyer, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of the Inspector General Western Region, made the announcement.
Assistant United States Attorney Anne C. Hsieh is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Mimi Lam, Lakisha Holliman, and Helen Yee.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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