Senior Border Patrol official quits after allegedly pressuring female employees to have sex, officials say

A senior US Border Patrol official abruptly resigned in October after allegations surfaced that he pressured a junior employee to return sexual favors, and other women have since made similar allegations according to which he would have been a victim of him, say three Department of Homeland Security officials.

Tony Barker, who served as the acting chief executive of law enforcement operations for the Border Patrol, is currently under investigation for his behavior by the Office of Customs and Protective Professional Responsibility. borders, the three officials said.

According to the sources, a woman said she had a consensual relationship with Barker that she tried to end, prompting Barker to retaliate. Barker allegedly threatened to tell others that she illegally issued contracts if she did not provide sexual favors.

Since she reported her allegations to DHS, several other women who worked with Barker have filed similar complaints, the sources said.

Barker quietly left his post in October after 18 years with Border Patrol. A career appointee who has served under multiple administrations, Barker most recently served as the point of contact for Customs and Border Protection at the Southwest Border Command Center, an interagency task force created to manage the influx of migrants at the border. .

DHS and CBP did not immediately respond to requests for comment. NBC News made several attempts to reach Tony Barker but did not contact him for comment.