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ISCR Case 24-01510 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 24-01510

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

Case Profile
Decision Date1/23/2026
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Gatha LaFaye
Government Counsel: Sakeena Farhath
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 29-year-old individual who sought a security clearance and faced allegations under Guideline H, concerning drug involvement and substance misuse. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) detailing multiple instances of illegal drug use, including marijuana, cocaine, LSD, ecstasy, and the misuse of prescription medication Adderall. The applicant admitted to all allegations in the SOR, acknowledging a history of substance use from 2011 to 2023, with his last use occurring in October 2023.
In his response, the applicant expressed regret for his past actions and highlighted significant changes in his life, including disassociating from previous drug-using associates, engaging in healthier activities, and committing to abstain from illegal substances. He provided evidence of his employment as a senior data recording technician for a defense contractor and stated his willingness to comply with all laws and regulations regarding drug use. The administrative judge found that the applicant's drug involvement primarily occurred during his formative years and that he had established a pattern of abstinence for over two years prior to the decision.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, granting eligibility for access to classified information. The judge concluded that the applicant had sufficiently mitigated the security concerns raised under Guideline H by demonstrating a commitment to abstinence, making positive lifestyle changes, and acknowledging his past behavior. The judge emphasized the importance of the applicant's actions and statements in establishing his current reliability and trustworthiness.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · For Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 24-01510

grantedJan 23, 2026· Hon. Gatha LaFaye· hearing

Summary

A 29-year-old automotive and marine technician was granted a security clearance despite admitted past drug involvement under Guideline H. The applicant faced allegations of using marijuana from April 2011 to January 2021, cocaine from March 2014 to October 2023, LSD from July 2014 to October 2023, hallucinogenic mushrooms from August 2015 to October 2023, and ecstasy from May 2014 to July 2021. Additionally, the applicant was alleged to have purchased cocaine from March 2015 to October 2022, and both sold and improperly used the prescribed medication Adderall from January 2020 to January 2022.

Disqualifying conditions related to drug involvement were raised, but the administrative judge found sufficient evidence of mitigation. The applicant demonstrated a commitment to abstain from illegal substances and made significant positive lifestyle changes, including disassociating from drug-using associates and pursuing healthier activities.

Crucially, the applicant established a pattern of abstinence from illegal drug use since January 2022, which was over two years prior to the decision. The judge concluded that these actions demonstrated a commitment to compliance with laws and regulations, leading to the granting of the security clearance.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant admitted to past drug involvement but demonstrated a commitment to abstain from illegal substances.
He made significant lifestyle changes, including disassociating from drug-using associates and pursuing healthier activities.
The applicant established a pattern of abstinence from illegal drug use for over two years prior to the decision.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 25(a)raisedSubstance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(c)raisedIllegal Possession of a Controlled Substance

Mitigating

AG ¶ 26(a)appliedBehavior Unlikely to Recur
AG ¶ 26(b)appliedAcknowledgment and Evidence of Actions Taken to Overcome Drug Involvement

Key Rule Quoted

“The illegal use of controlled substances... can raise questions about an individual's reliability and trustworthiness...”
— AG ¶ 24

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedFeb 21, 2025
Answer filedApr 17, 2025
Hearing held—Applicant elected to have the case decided on the written record.
Decision dateJan 23, 2026

Cite For

Mitigation of Drug Involvement Under Guideline H
Commitment to Abstain From Illegal Substances as a Mitigating Factor
Whole-person Concept in Security Clearance Evaluations

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 H (Drug Involvement) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: Decision on RecordDecided: granted

The judge found that the applicant's drug involvement and substance misuse primarily occurred during his formative years, with a single incident of illegal drug use in October 2023. The applicant demonstrated significant personal growth and commitment to abstaining from drug use, leading to a decision to grant his security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	Used marijuana from April 2011 to January 2021	For Applicant	Marijuana	Regular	Admitted	—	—	—
1.b	Used cocaine from March 2014 to October 2023	For Applicant	Cocaine	Regular	Admitted	—	—	—
1.c	Purchased cocaine from March 2015 to October 2022	For Applicant	Drug Distribution or Dealing	Not Applicable	Admitted	—	—	—
1.d	Used hallucinogenic LSD from July 2014 to October 2023	For Applicant	LSD	Regular	Admitted	—	—	—
1.e	Used hallucinogenic mushrooms from August 2015 to October 2023	For Applicant	Psilocybin	Regular	Admitted	—	—	—
1.f	Used the stimulant ecstasy from May 2014 to July 2021	For Applicant	MDMA	Regular	Admitted	—	—	—
1.g	Sold the prescribed medication Adderall from January 2020 to January 2022	For Applicant	Drug Distribution or Dealing	Not Applicable	Admitted	—	—	—
1.h	Improperly used the prescribed medication Adderall from January 2020 to January 2022	For Applicant	Prescription Stimulant Misuse	Not Applicable	Admitted	—	—	—

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.