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Police in the Miami metropolitan area arrested a US Secret Service agent along with two other men for a multi-day college hazing that caused kidney damage to the victims, the federal agency confirmed to EFE on Monday.
The Secret Service placed 29-year-old agent Marquez Christopher Pinder on administrative leave following his arrest over the weekend in Miami-Dade County, where authorities accused him of participating in a multi-day beating of young people in the city of Sweetwater.
Michael Townsend, the Secret Service special agent in charge of the Miami Field Office, stated in a release that the agency is "fully cooperating with the investigation."
"I cannot comment on the details of the ongoing investigation. However, I can say that the employee is on administrative leave and has been since we received notification," Townsend indicated in a message shared with EFE.
Pinder was detained along with 26-year-old Jared Lamar James and 29-year-old Elijah Delano Dyous following an investigation by state and Miami-Dade County authorities, which discovered that they allegedly carried out a hazing ritual against young people in the city of Sweetwater.
The incidents "involved prolonged and repeated beatings with canes and paddles" at at least two residences in the city of Sweetwater from April 1 to April 4, according to a statement from Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez.
Given the victims' injuries, the defendants face charges of attempted manslaughter with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon or causing great bodily harm, and hazing with a deadly weapon.
"In Florida, hazing is abuse and it is a crime. Too often, its victims end up in graves or hospital beds," Fernandez noted. "This case, in which the victims required hospitalization, offers stark examples of the danger of these practices," she added.
The incident occurs as the Secret Service has faced scrutiny over alleged security failures, particularly following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump while he was a presidential candidate in the 2024 campaign in Butler, Pennsylvania.
This led to the resignation of the then-director of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, as well as the suspension of several agents.
"We hold our employees to the highest standards. The Secret Service remains committed to accountability, professionalism, and integrity, and any misconduct will be addressed promptly and appropriately once the investigative process concludes," Townsend said regarding the Miami case.
[Publicidad]