And see the Los Angeles Times, "Misconduct inquiry targets 16 U.S. security team members."
WASHINGTON — Eleven Secret Service agents and five members of the U.S. military working on a security team preparing for President Obama's arrival at a regional summit in Colombia were under investigation Saturday for apparent misconduct involving prostitutes.Continue reading.
The incident occurred early Thursday at the Hotel Caribe, a historic beachfront hotel where the advance team was staying in the Caribbean resort city of Cartagena.
The episode began when police and hotel personnel began checking hotel rooms as part of the strict security surrounding the weekend Summit of the Americas, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the investigation.
Several visitors had not left identification with the front desk as required, prompting the room checks, the official said. It was then that a Secret Service agent was found with a woman believed to be a prostitute in his room.
Other Secret Service agents also had women in their rooms who were believed to be prostitutes, the official said. Prostitution is legal in certain "tolerance" areas in Colombia, and Cartagena has a large red light district.
Checks of the rooms also revealed U.S. military personnel with unauthorized visitors, a military official briefed on the incident said.
A dispute between one of the women and a Secret Service agent over whether she should be paid created a disturbance, andthe U.S. Embassy ultimately was notified.
The 11 Secret Service agents were relieved of duty and flown home Friday before Obama arrived in Cartagena. The group included special agents and uniformed division officers, none of whom are assigned to the president's protective detail.
And a video report at ABC News, "Secret Service Agents Caught in Prostitution Scandal During."
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