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ISCR Case 24-01787 — CASE

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ISCR Case 24-01787

A decided public DOHA case, shown for research — not advice or a prediction.

Case Profile
Decision Date7/10/2025
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Richard A. Cefola
Government Counsel: Tara R. Karoian
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 25-year-old employee of a defense contractor who had been employed since August 2022 and held a Bachelor of Science degree. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing security concerns under Guidelines H (Drug Involvement and Substance Misuse) and E (Personal Conduct). The core allegations included the applicant's admitted use of marijuana on multiple occasions, including after being granted a security clearance, and the falsification of her security clearance application by denying illegal drug use.
The applicant admitted to the allegations in the SOR, acknowledging her marijuana use from August 2018 until May 2023, including usage after her clearance was granted. She also admitted to falsifying her e-QIP by answering "No" to questions regarding illegal drug use. In mitigation, she provided a signed statement of intent to abstain from drug use. However, the administrative judge found that the applicant's drug use and the delay in correcting her falsification undermined her credibility and trustworthiness.
The administrative judge ruled against the applicant, concluding that she failed to mitigate the security concerns related to drug involvement and personal conduct. The judge emphasized that the applicant's actions raised doubts about her reliability and ability to safeguard classified information, ultimately denying her eligibility for a security clearance.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline EPersonal Conduct · Against Applicant
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · Against Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 24-01787

deniedJul 10, 2025· Hon. Richard A. Cefola· hearing

Summary

A 25-year-old defense contractor employee was denied a security clearance due to concerns under Guideline E (Personal Conduct) and Guideline H (Drug Involvement). The applicant admitted to using marijuana numerous times between August 2018 and May 2023. This included one instance in May 2023, which occurred after she had already been granted a security clearance in November 2022.

Furthermore, the applicant falsified her September 20, 2022, e-QIP application. She answered "No" to a question about illegal drug use within the last seven years, despite her admitted marijuana use. This misrepresentation was not corrected for 17 months.

The administrative judge emphasized that the applicant's admitted drug use, particularly after receiving a clearance, and her deliberate falsification of a security clearance application, demonstrated a lack of the trust and reliability essential for national security positions. Consequently, the security clearance was denied.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant admitted to using marijuana on multiple occasions, including after being granted a security clearance.
The applicant falsified her security clearance application by denying illegal drug use, which she did not correct for 17 months.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 25(a)appliedSubstance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(c)appliedIllegal Possession of a Controlled Substance
AG ¶ 25(f)appliedIllegal Drug Use While Granted Access to Classified Information
AG ¶ 16(a)appliedDeliberate Omission or Falsification

Key Rule Quoted

“The protection of the national security is the paramount consideration.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedJan 2, 2025
Answer filedFeb 10, 2025
Hearing heldJun 5, 2025
Decision dateJul 10, 2025

Cite For

Denial of Security Clearance Due to Drug Involvement Under Guideline H
Falsification of Security Clearance Application Under Guideline E
Importance of Trust and Reliability in National Security Roles

Editorial summary generated for research. Not legal advice; not a prediction. Verify against the full decision before relying on any quoted language.

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline E (Personal Conduct) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: denied

The judge found that the applicant willfully falsified her e-QIP by denying illegal drug use in the last seven years, which was a significant concern under Guideline E. The formal finding was against the applicant, leading to the denial of her security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Conduct	Concealed Issue	Response	Disqualifying (¶16)	Mitigating applied (¶17)	Mitigation
2.a	Applicant admits that she falsified her September 20, 2022, e-QIP, in answering, 'No,' to, 'Section 23 – Illegal Use of Drugs . . . In the last seven (7) years.'	Against Applicant	Falsification Security FormFOUND DELIBERATE	Drug Involvement	Admitted	(a) deliberate omission, concealment, or falsification on a security form (c) credible adverse information across areas supporting a whole-person concern (f) violation of a written commitment made as a condition of employment	—	—

Descriptive standardized rendering of a decided public case (Guideline E). The verbatim source decision is shown in full below.

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline H (Drug Involvement) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: denied

The judge found that the applicant used marijuana on numerous occasions from August 2018 until May 2023, including once after being granted a security clearance in November 2022. The findings were against the applicant, leading to a denial of the security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant admits to using marijuana/Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on numerous occasions from August of 2018 until her last usage in May of 2023.	Against Applicant	Marijuana	Regular	Admitted	(a) any substance misuse (c) illegal possession, cultivation, manufacture, purchase, sale, or distribution; or paraphernalia (f) any illegal drug use while holding a clearance or sensitive position	—	Claimed Signed Intent with Revocation Clause
1.b	Applicant used marijuana, once in May of 2023, after being granted a security clearance in November of 2022.	Against Applicant	MarijuanaWHILE CLEARED	Occasional	Admitted	(a) any substance misuse (c) illegal possession, cultivation, manufacture, purchase, sale, or distribution; or paraphernalia (f) any illegal drug use while holding a clearance or sensitive position	—	—

Descriptive standardized rendering of a decided public case (Guideline H). The verbatim source decision is shown in full below.

Full decision

The complete, official text — footnotes and signatures included — is in the original PDF.