Yvonne Lima

**Yvonne Sofia Lima** is a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent and a current member of the Los Angeles Joint Terrorism Task Force.

## Early Life

Yvonne Sofia Lima was born on June 18, 1991 in Columbus, Ohio to ATF Special Agent Sylvia Lima (née Haynes) and Columbus Division of Police detective Roberto "Robbie" Lima. Yvonne’s parents met while serving on a gang task force in the late 1980’s. Yvonne graduated from Westland High School in 2009. Yvonne attended Swarthmore College where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and Anthropology in 2013.

## Career

While a junior at Swarthmore College, Yvonne was accepted into the Pathways Internship Program with Homeland Security Investigations, Yvonne served her internship at HSI New York. After graduation, Yvonne was converted to a full time employee and began her career at HSI New York as part of the Domestic Smuggling Group. In 2018 Yvonne transferred to ASAC Ventura, an office of HSI Los Angeles, where she served with the Illicit Finance and Proceeds of Crime Unit.

### The Undercover Incident

In August 2021, Yvonne took place in her first and so far only undercover operation. Yvonne and SA Margaret Marks of the Child Exploitation Investigations Group, were brought in to assist the Transnational Organized Crime Unit in the investigation of a smuggling ring ran by Eastern European organized crime. Yvonne and Margaret were brought in as neither was known by sight within the organization’s area of operations.

Yvonne and Margaret were tasked with posing as professional buyers from New York City with connections to several Wall Street businessmen. Despite DSAC Dean Sorensen having reservations about their involvement as neither were certified undercover agents, he eventually relented and agreed to let them participate. Sorensen did however let Marlon Ramirez. the Group Supervisor of the Transnational Organized Crime Unit know in no uncertain terms that if it went awry, he’d be held responsible.

Neither Yvonne or Margaret could wear a wire to the meeting as the group was technologically advanced and had always scanned the meeting attendees for listening devices before discussing business. The meeting started off fine with Yvonne and Margaret holding their own, however it quickly went downhill when one of the group’s members claimed to have felt suspicious. Yvonne and Margaret were forced at gunpoint to strip naked to prove they weren’t wearing a wire, they were threatened with rape and worse until they complied. Margaret was praised for keeping a cool head and thinking on her feet. After being forced to strip, Margaret commented to Yvonne "Let’s keep this to ourselves. Ya know how pissed your husband gets when you get into compromising positions with a bunch of random guys." with Yvonne retorting "Well this is like a normal Friday night for you isn’t it?". This exchange got a light hearted response from the group and caused the previous hostile atmosphere to become almost jovial with several people in the group cracking jokes with the two agents. Afterwards the meeting resumed and the group agreed to the deal.

At the arranged meeting location, Yvonne and Margaret were were able to get the deal completed and the group were arrested by HSI Special Response Team members. Despite the success of the operation, Group Supervisor Marlon Ramirez was severely reprimanded for allowing his two undercover agents to be harassed and humiliated by the group. Margaret spoke in Ramirez’s defense, saying that the group likely wanted to scare and humiliate them to see how they reacted in order to gauge their authenticity, rather than suspecting them of wearing a wire. Sorensen later admitted that Margaret’s comments had all but saved Ramirez’s career.

Both Yvonne and Margaret were praised for their quick thinking and being able to keep their composure when threatened with violence. Both kept kept in good spirits about their ordeal, with Yvonne jokingly saying "Well at least I got to see Margaret naked!" at a debriefing.

### Subsequent Career

After the undercover incident, Yvonne realized undercover work wasn’t for her and returned to the Illicit Finance and Proceeds of Crime Unit at ASAC Venture unit 2022 when she transferred to the Los Angeles Joint Terrorism Task Force as their illicit finance specialist.

### Service History

* HSI New York: 2013 to 2018 (Domestic Smuggling Group)
* ASAC Ventura: 2018 to 2022 (Illicit Finance and Proceeds of Crime Unit)
* Joint Terrorism Task Force: 2022 to Present (Los Angeles)

## Personal Life

Yvonne has been in a long term relationship with business executive Craig Powell since 2018. Yvonne is an avid competitive shooter, she enjoys playing golf and tennis. Yvonne is a Yoga practitioner and a certified firearms instructor.