Opinion ID: 777529
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The MSPB's Final Decision

Text: 20 The MSPB sustained the AJ's reversal of the DEA regarding charge one, specifications one, four, and five, as well as charge two, specification two. 17 However, the MSPB held that the AJ erred in his analysis of charge one, specifications two and three, as well as charge two, specification one, and overturned those portions of the AJ's decision. The foundation of the MSPB's decision is that intent can be proven by circumstantial evidence, and, moreover, that inaccurate statements, not credibly or reasonably explained, are circumstantial evidence of deception and allow a strong inference of culpability. See Final Decision at 176 (citing Stein v. United States Postal Serv., 57 M.S.P.R. 434, 439 (1993); Davis v. Dep't of the Air Force, 27 M.S.P.R. 521, 524 (1985)). The MSPB also cited Jacobs v. Dep't of Justice, 35 F.3d 1543, 1548 (Fed.Cir.1994), in acknowledging that some evidence points in Mr. Haebe's direction. Final Decision at 176. 21 Presence of Mr. Haebe at the San Jose Airport — charge one, specification two 22 The MSPB strung together various circumstantial evidence findings to conclude that the preponderance of the evidence showed that Mr. Haebe falsified the observations he recorded on the Report by adopting the information the CI gave him. Id. at 176-77. Expressly acknowledging that its finding was contrary to the AJ's finding, and citing interviews of the CI early in the investigation, the MSPB found that the CI called Mr. Haebe after Mr. Alcala purchased his ticket, id. at 177, rather than after the initial inquiry by Mr. Alcala as the CI testified to the AJ. The MSPB supported its counter-finding with the following observations: (i) the CI had stated that normally the CI paged an agent after a ticket was purchased, even though the CI recalled at least one occasion where the CI made a call after a mere inquiry; 18 (ii) Mr. Haebe's partner testified that he received a page from Mr. Haebe between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., called Mr. Haebe, and learned that Mr. Haebe was responding to an airport incident, facts which to the MSPB implied that the CI did not page Mr. Haebe before the ticket was purchased because Mr. Haebe would have called his partner after the first alert by the CI; and (iii) even if Mr. Haebe received the CI's call before the ticket was purchased and made it to the airport in time to see the ticket purchased at 6:32 a.m., the other events described by Mr. Haebe took up too little time to fill up a half-hour of waiting around the airport. Id. at 178. 23 Based directly on its circumstantial evidence counter-finding that the CI first called Mr. Haebe after Mr. Alcala purchased the ticket, the MSPB found that Mr. Haebe did not observe Mr. Alcala before he boarded the plane. To support this inference, the MSPB explained how the timing could not have possibly worked out, especially given the CI's statement that the CI saw Mr. Alcala in his window seat on the plane at approximately 6:45 a.m. Id. at 178-79. The MSPB compiled additional circumstantial evidence against Mr. Haebe. 19 It then noted that Mr. Haebe admitted that he did not actually see the ticket purchase transaction, but merely saw Mr. Alcala at the ticket counter momentarily. The MSPB found these statements to be in reckless disregard for the truth, which in its view supported an inference of intent. See Final Decision at 181 (citing Bryant v. Dep't of Justice, 39 M.S.P.R. 632, 636 (1989)). On a whole, the MSPB concluded, the circumstantial evidence supported an intent to deceive, and Mr. Haebe never explained why the statements on the Report were incorrect, 20 therefore, the second specification of charge one was proven by a preponderance of the evidence. Id. 24 Observation of Mr. Alcala's bag — charge one, specification three 25 With respect to specification three, the MSPB overturned the AJ's conclusion because it found the AJ's determination to be primarily based on the testimony of Mr. Haebe's immediate supervisor, who stated that the Report's description of the bag was within the policy of protecting confidential informants, and the fact that Mr. Haebe was never explicitly warned that such an approach violated the policy. Id. at 182. Rather, according to the MSPB, the testimony of the second-level supervisor controls, who testified that the policy stipulated that an agent must personally observe the events reported when drafting statements that omit the presence of a CI. Id. at 183. 26 Failure to distribute a copy of the Report to the Portland DEA — charge two, specification one 27 The MSPB held that under charge two, proof of intent is not required. See Final Decision at 183 (citing Botto v. United States Postal Serv., 75 M.S.P.R. 471, 476 (1997); Hamilton v. United States Postal Serv., 71 M.S.P.R. 547, 555-57 (1996)). As a result, the DEA had no need to prove that Mr. Haebe was motivated to keep the Report away from the Portland DEA office as opined by the AJ. Further, there is no de minimis exception for a charge of failing to follow written instructions. See Final Decision at 184 (citing Pepper v. Veterans Admin., 8 MSPB 197, 8 M.S.P.R. 524, 526-28 (1981); Ceja v. Def. Logistics Agency, 27 M.S.P.R. 531, 533 (1985) (explaining that de minimis nature only impacts the penalty)). Because the form was not sent, the charge is met: we find that this specification is proven and that there is a nexus between the misconduct and the efficiency of the service. 21 Final Decision at 184 (citing Blevins v. Dep't of the Army, 26 M.S.P.R. 101, 104 (1985)). 22