MIAMI (AP) — A longtime informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has avoided prison time despite admitting to tax evasion on nearly $4 million earned over years of undercover work. Andres Zapata was sentenced to time served in Austin, Texas, after agreeing to aid in a decade-long investigation into DEA agent misconduct.
The 48-year-old Zapata, who was extradited from Colombia last year, worked closely with José Irizarry, a former DEA agent currently serving a 12-year sentence for embezzling funds from money laundering investigations. Court records reveal that the DEA compensated Zapata around $3.8 million between 2015 and 2020 as a confidential informant, although he failed to report these earnings on his tax returns, a charge to which he pled guilty last July.
The Justice Department has thus far remained quiet regarding the case, while the DEA did not respond to requests for comments. Zapata’s legal team contended that it's uncommon for authorities to seek prosecution against someone who aided U.S. law enforcement in combating drug violence, especially given that informants typically do not receive formal income documentation.
At the sentencing, U.S. District Judge David Ezra noted Zapata's cooperation and ordered him to pay $1.2 million in restitution for tax losses incurred by the government.
Zapata has been connected to significant ongoing investigations into the DEA, which have raised questions about the agency's relationship with informants. Internal records suggest that Zapata has been providing intelligence to the DEA since 1998, earning in excess of $4.6 million throughout two decades of work. However, his services extended beyond intelligence, as he allegedly participated in lavish parties organized by DEA agents and even helped procure prostitutes during various assignments.
Amid scandal, Zapata's role in assisting agents during extensive travels has drawn scrutiny, with claims that he also facilitated unauthorized financial transactions for Irizarry. The ramifications of this case could further complicate the DEA’s reputation and their dealings with informants in the future.
The 48-year-old Zapata, who was extradited from Colombia last year, worked closely with José Irizarry, a former DEA agent currently serving a 12-year sentence for embezzling funds from money laundering investigations. Court records reveal that the DEA compensated Zapata around $3.8 million between 2015 and 2020 as a confidential informant, although he failed to report these earnings on his tax returns, a charge to which he pled guilty last July.
The Justice Department has thus far remained quiet regarding the case, while the DEA did not respond to requests for comments. Zapata’s legal team contended that it's uncommon for authorities to seek prosecution against someone who aided U.S. law enforcement in combating drug violence, especially given that informants typically do not receive formal income documentation.
At the sentencing, U.S. District Judge David Ezra noted Zapata's cooperation and ordered him to pay $1.2 million in restitution for tax losses incurred by the government.
Zapata has been connected to significant ongoing investigations into the DEA, which have raised questions about the agency's relationship with informants. Internal records suggest that Zapata has been providing intelligence to the DEA since 1998, earning in excess of $4.6 million throughout two decades of work. However, his services extended beyond intelligence, as he allegedly participated in lavish parties organized by DEA agents and even helped procure prostitutes during various assignments.
Amid scandal, Zapata's role in assisting agents during extensive travels has drawn scrutiny, with claims that he also facilitated unauthorized financial transactions for Irizarry. The ramifications of this case could further complicate the DEA’s reputation and their dealings with informants in the future.
