Four agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responsible for the agency’s botched undercover storefront sting in Milwaukee have been disciplined, but received the lightest punishment handed out by the agency, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The information came in a letter to members of Congress who demanded that ATF disclose what disciplinary action was taken against agents and supervisors responsible for Operation Fearless.
James Burch, the ATF’s assistant director for governmental affairs, wrote that seven special agents involved in the Milwaukee sting were reviewed. The agency’s Professional Review Board proposed a reprimand for one agent and issued a “memorandum of caution,” the mildest action the board can take, to three others. The other three agents were cleared of wrongdoing. Agency employees called the disciplines a “slap on the wrist” that will have no effect on the agents’ careers. Members of both parties in Congress have been calling for accountability since the Journal Sentinel first reported problems in Operation Fearless last year.