Former CIA Station Chief Charged with Sexual Assault in Algeria

June 29, 2009 -- A federal grand jury has indicted Andrew Warren, the CIA's former station chief in Algeria, for allegedly sexually abusing a woman in February 2008.

Warren had worked for the agency in the Middle East until October 2008 and only was recalled from the region after two women came forward and accused him of the rapes, which were first reported by ABC News' Brian Ross in January.

While the Justice Department only announced the two-page indictment with a brief paper statement on the case, an affidavit filed in the case last year to search Warren's computer alleged that two women were raped at his residence in Algeria. The indictment unsealed today stated that the victim "was incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct and was physically incapable of declining participation in, and communicating unwillingness to engage in, said sexual act."

Warren was charged with one count of sexual abuse within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

Morton Taubman, an attorney for Warren, said his client is, "Not guilty...He is innocent."

Warren surrendered to a Diplomatic Security agent just outside the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., where the indictment was returned on June 18 but was only unsealed Tuesday. Officials provided no reason why there was a delay in unsealing the charges.

Appearing before Federal Magistrate John Facciola, Warren pleaded not guilty and was released on his own personal recognizance. His next court appearance will be set at a later date.

According to the affidavit filed by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Warren allegedly prepared drinks which he gave to the women. In the first case, according to the woman, Warren allegedly prepared a mixed drink of cola and whiskey, and the woman stated that she felt a "violent onset of nausea," and Warren said she should spend the night at his home.

When she woke up the next morning, according to the affidavit, "she was lying on a bed, completely nude, with no memory of how she had been undressed." She said she realized "she recently had engaged in sexual intercourse, though she had no memory of having intercourse."

The second victim's account also states that Warren allegedly drugged his victims before raping them. "While drinking the second apple martini, [Victim 2] suddenly felt faint and felt the immediate needed to vomit. V2 described the sudden and violent onset of the illness as nothing like the physiological effects of alcohol related sickness that she had experienced when she consumed alcohol on previous occasions. V2 stated she immediately began to pass in and out of consciousness. V2's recollections of the ensuing events are characterized as passing in and out of consciousness, due to the debilitating effects of the illness," the affidavit states.

"[Victim 2's] next recollection was being located in Warren's upstairs bathroom, on the floor. V2 could see and hear, but she could not move. Warren was in the bathroom, and he was attempting to remove V2's pants. Although V2 could not physically resist Warren, she was able to speak, and she asked him to leave the bathroom. Warren continued to undress V2, and told her she would feel better after a bath. V2 stated that she had difficulty comprehending what was happening to her. Eventually Warren was able to remove V2's blue jeans, boots, and her blazer," the statement said.

Allegedly, the woman remembers being in Warren's bed and asking him to stop, but according to the affidavit, "Warren made a statement to the effect of 'nobody stays in my expensive sheets with clothes on.'" She told the Diplomatic Security agents that, "as she slipped in and out of consciousness she had conscious images of Warren penetrating her vagina repeatedly with his penis."

Diplomatic Security Special Agent Scott Baker noted in the affidavit, "The victims' symptoms were consistent with drugs used to facilitate sexual assaults."

Warren, who had been employed by the CIA, was fired earlier this year. Asked for a comment on the case, CIA spokesman George Little said in a statement, "We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement in this matter, which involves a former agency employee who was fired earlier this year."

According to the Justice Department, if convicted, Warren could face life in prison.