The FBI conducted a raid on Wednesday at the upstate New York residence of Scott Ritter, a former United Nations weapons inspector. The search was part of an ongoing federal investigation. FBI spokeswoman Sarah Ruane confirmed the operation to WNYT but did not disclose further details.
Witnesses reported that agents were seen photographing and searching vehicles on Ritter’s property shortly after noon. Both marked and unmarked police cars were present, but Ritter was not home during the search.
Earlier this year, Ritter’s passport was revoked by the U.S. State Department. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped him at John F. Kennedy Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Russia, leading to his passport being confiscated.
Ritter, who resigned in 1998 from his position as chief weapons inspector in Iraq, had criticized the Clinton administration and the United Nations for not pursuing rigorous weapons inspections. In 2011, Ritter was convicted on multiple charges following a child sex sting operation. He was found guilty of misdemeanor indecent exposure and felony charges, including unlawful conduct with a minor and criminal use of a communications device.
During his trial, the prosecution presented a video showing Ritter performing a sexual act for someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl named “Emily,” who was actually an undercover detective. Ritter was sentenced to five and a half years in prison and was released on parole in December 2014.
The current federal investigation and the raid on Ritter’s home indicate continued legal scrutiny, though the specific reasons for the investigation remain undisclosed.
