By Steve Neavling
An FBI agent accused of sexually assaulting two women in his off-duty tattoo shop now faces additional allegations from a third woman, The Washington Post reports.
The woman claims she was an 18-year-old high school senior when Eduardo “Eddie” Valdivia, 40, raped her, according to new court filings in Montgomery County, Md.
The allegations come two years after Valdivia was acquitted of attempted second-degree murder for shooting an unarmed passenger aboard a Metro train. A jury found that Valdivia had acted in self-defense after the man confronted and threatened him. The alleged assault involving the teenager reportedly occurred while Valdivia was awaiting trial for the shooting, court records show.
Currently suspended from the FBI, Valdivia could go to trial on the new charges before the year ends. Prosecutors say he concealed his real name and profession, operating his tattoo business under aliases like “Lalo Brown” or “El Boogie.” According to filings, the women came to the shop for tattoos and were later persuaded to return for modeling opportunities, during which they were allegedly attacked.
Valdivia, a father of three, holds a Spanish literature degree and a master’s in public health. Before joining the FBI in 2011, he worked with community health centers under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Records indicate he lived with his wife and children in Gaithersburg, Maryland, before his recent incarceration.
His attorneys, who also represented him in the Metro shooting case, expressed skepticism about the latest allegations. Defense lawyer Robert Bonsib said the prosecution will begin disclosing evidence, and “we expect that it will not support the allegations.”
Bonsib previously argued that Valdivia’s interactions with the women were consensual. He pointed out that one of the women accusing him of assault agreed to meet him again after the alleged incident.
“This conduct is not going to get you the first pew in church,” Bonsib said at the time. “But you’ve got to be realistic about the nature of what was going on here. This was not criminal conduct.”
The latest charges against Valdivia include 19 counts, eight of which are second-degree rape. In Maryland, this charge applies to various nonconsensual acts, with the indictment outlining similar claims. If convicted, Valdivia faces up to 20 years in prison for each count.
