A current U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent and a former supervisor in the agency were charged Friday with leaking confidential law enforcement information to defense lawyers in Florida in exchange for cash and gifts.
A five-count bribery-conspiracy indictment unsealed in New York charges the agent, John Costanzo Jr., with accepting bribes to provide sensitive information about pending investigations to Manny Recio, a former Miami supervisor who retired from DEA more than two years ago to work as a private investigator for local defense attorneys. Federal prosecutors allege Recio sought the information to help recruit new clients.
