Ex-FBI Agent Convicted For Stealing From Jan 6 Defendant During Raid
A former Houston-based FBI agent has been convicted of stealing valuables and cash while conducting searches. In one instance, the agent stole cash and silver bars from a non-violent January 6 defendant’s home.
Nicholas Anthony Williams, 36, was indicted on January 31 in the Southern District of Texas. Williams, who had worked at the agency’s Houston field office since 2019, was accused of taking money or property from multiple residences while executing search warrants as an FBI special agent. He then converted the money or property to his personal use, according to a press release from U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani at the time.
Williams is also accused of stealing multiple cell phones from the agency and provided false statements regarding a number of fraudulent charges on his government-issued credit card, according to the indictment.
Alexander Fan, a Houston college student who was sentenced to 12 months probation for peacefully protesting in the Capitol Building on January 6, was one of Williams’ victim.
Fan’s home was subject to an FBI search after his arrest on non-violent trespassing misdemeanors in June 2023. According to court filings released before Fan’s plea hearing, the college student reported to the FBI that a number of items — including cash and silver bars — were missing from his bedroom. “These items were not seized pursuant to the warrants,” the court filing reads.
In September, Williams confessed to stealing nearly $10,000 in cash and silver bars from multiple residences during raids from March 2022 to July 2023. A plea agreement revealed that that the former agent used the stolen money for personal purchases, including firearms. He also attempted to fence the silver bars to multiple buyers.
In addition to theft, Williams admitted to making false statements about fraudulent charges on his government-issued credit card, claiming they were legitimate case-related expenses. He also pawned FBI-owned property for personal gain.
Williams admitted ton five thefts in total, the first being in 2020, when he “embezzled and wrongfully converted” $1,200 he seized while he was executing a December 2020 search warrant in Houston. He also admitted to $1,500 cash and several bars from Van’s residence, in addition to two additional thefts in 2023. He also admitted to stealing $4,000 in cash while executing a search warrant on a residence in 2022.
Mark Thering, an attorney for Fan, said he looks forward to the day when his client’s property is returned. “We’re hoping to get something done in the next few weeks and I’m glad to hear that something did get done,” he said.
U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen on Monday accepted Williams’ guilty plea back in September, and he is set to be sentenced on July 13. The former FBI agent faces up to 10 years in prison and could be fined up to $250,000.
