Prosecutors claim that a former FBI special agent from the Bay Area made unwanted romantic attempts and cyberstalked a law student for almost a year before being caught and charged with several federal offenses.
Paul Raymond Flood, 54, of Castro Valley, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of cyberstalking, two counts of witness tampering by intimidation, one count of witness tampering by harassment, and one count of obstruction of justice, according to a statement released Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Flood served from 2007 until 2019 as a special agent.
As to the accusation, the victim was introduced to Flood in October 2018 by a member of her family who was acquainted with the agent. The victim, a first-year law student, reached out to Flood about working with the FBI in the future.
Flood, according to the prosecution, started approaching the victim in an inappropriate manner and started to “engage in a pattern of harassing and intimidating conduct.”
According to the prosecution, Flood mailed the victim a diamond ring and called and texted her using at least 79 different numbers over the course of 11 months. Additionally, Flood informed the victim that he was monitoring her and her family and persuaded her relative to call or unblock him on multiple occasions.
Prosecutors claim that the victim was first afraid of reprisals and chose not to report Flood. Flood was suspended and the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General conducted an investigation after the victim informed federal and local authorities about the stalking in June 2019.
Prosecutors claimed that Flood persisted in harassing the woman and pressuring her to refuse to assist investigators after he was suspended.
According to the prosecution, he also purchased a $17,000 engagement ring and convinced the victim to enter into a fictitious marriage in order to keep her from testifying. The victim did not consummate their union.
Flood appeared in federal court for the first time on Wednesday morning. His next court date is set for January 15, 2025, and he is now on conditional release.
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