By Dave Workman | Senior Editor 
The U.S. Attorney’s office in San Francisco has announced the indictment of a former supervisor for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at the agency’s field office in Seattle that contains serious allegations of embezzlement and making false statements.
The indictment was handed down by a Seattle grand jury against former special agent James Contreras, who was also a group supervisor in that city’s ATF field office.
“The indictment,” according to a press release from the San Francisco office, “alleges that during the time Contreras was working as an agent and supervisor…he embezzled money from a cash fund for which he was responsible and prepared and submitted falsified reports when accounting for the money in the fund.”
More than a year ago, Contreras left the agency, and the Seattle Times reported at the time he had resigned as an internal investigation unfolded regarding how he “handled” a paid informant with a history of abuse toward women. At the time, in July of 2012, the Times noted that Contreras insisted he had retired.
The San Francisco press release cautioned, “Please note, an indictment contains only allegations against an individual and, as with all defendants, James Contreras must be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
An ATF spokesperson in Washington, D.C. said the agency will not comment on the case, and referred TGM to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Seattle. That office referred TGM to the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District of California.
The case is not being handled by the Seattle U.S. Attorney’s office under Jenny Durkan. The Seattle Times noted that prosecutors in the Seattle office recused themselves, and that was confirmed by Emily Langlie, spokeswoman for the Seattle office.
The indictment includes a single count alleging embezzlement and 30 counts alleging he made false statements. Allegations reportedly include taking money from a cash account under his supervision and falsifying documents.
The indictment alleges that Contreras “knowingly embezzled and converted to his own use” special ATF funds that were under his supervision. This allegedly occurred between March 2010 and April 2012. He also allegedly “falsified required records and forms by writing what appeared to be the signatures of agents who were supposedly requesting and receiving money from the fund.”
Contreras, who lives in Maple Valley, WA in rural King County, is scheduled to make his first court appearance in December in Seattle.
