Two Homeland Security Agents Charged for Selling Seized Drugs and Stolen Evidence

Federal prosecutors allege the agents used their positions to traffic synthetic drugs and steal cash, jewelry, and artifacts from evidence lockups.

Nicholas Kindle and David Cole, Homeland Security agents based in Utah, face federal charges for conspiring to sell synthetic drugs seized as evidence.
The agents allegedly began the scheme in 2021, stealing drugs, cash, and items like a diamond ring and Peruvian antiquity from evidence storage.
Prosecutors claim the agents used a confidential informant to distribute the drugs, generating between $195,000 and $300,000 in illicit profits from 2022 to 2024.
The FBI launched an investigation in October 2024 after the informant's lawyer reported the agents had coerced him into illegal activities.
Both agents face felony drug distribution conspiracy charges, with Kindle also charged with conspiracy to convert U.S. government property for profit, potentially leading to decades in prison if convicted.