David Macey, a criminal defense attorney from Coral Gables, Florida, and Edwin Pagan III, a former Florida police detective and DEA task force officer, have been charged with bribery and fraud in a scheme that allegedly involved exchanging confidential DEA information for cash payments, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The indictment alleges that Macey, 54, and Pagan, 52, conspired to bribe a senior DEA special agent from 2018 to 2020 to obtain nonpublic DEA records. The confidential information was reportedly used by Macey to recruit and represent criminal defendants.
The indictment details how Macey and an associate funneled tens of thousands of dollars in bribe payments to the DEA agent through Pagan. In one instance, a $50,000 payment was directed to a family member of the agent, which was used as a down payment on a condominium.
Additionally, Macey and the DEA agent allegedly attended a New York Yankees game with a high-ranking DEA supervisor, attempting to gain further access to classified DEA intelligence.
Pagan also faces charges of perjury for allegedly lying under oath about the bribe payments during a 2023 criminal trial in New York.
Both Macey and Pagan are facing charges including conspiracy to bribe a public official, bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and perjury.
Federal authorities have not yet disclosed whether the DEA agent involved in the scheme has been charged or disciplined.
The indictment consists solely of allegations, and all stated facts should be regarded as such.
