A U.S. border patrol agent was arrested on Aug. 22 after he was accused of forcing women to expose their breasts during virtual application reviews.
Shane Millan, 53, of Jefferson County, New York, was arrested on four counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, a press release reveals. Authorities say Millan violated the constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches while virtually processing the admission of four women into the United States.
Millan is accused of commanding three women to expose their bare chests to him in August 2023 over webcam and having a fourth woman expose her breasts to him while her bra remained on. Millan allegedly told the women that the searches were necessary for their application review for entry into the country.
According to the charging documents, the border patrol agent is accused of committing the offenses in Jefferson County, near the Canadian border, and “elsewhere. ” He was arraigned in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks and released pending a trial.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility Investigative Operations Directorate is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Perry and Michael D. Gadarian serve as prosecutors.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection released a statement saying the agency does not tolerate misconduct among its agents.
“When we discover any alleged or potential misconduct, we immediately refer it for investigation and cooperate fully with any criminal or administrative investigations,” CBP said.
Millan’s jury trial is scheduled for Oct. 21. Court documents do not indicate if he entered a plea during his initial appearance. Millan’s current status as a Border Patrol agent remains unknown.
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