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ISCR Case 25-00265 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 25-00265

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

Case Profile
Decision Date1/14/2026
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Eric H. Borgstrom
Government Counsel: Carroll J. Connelley
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 28-year-old engineer employed by a Department of Defense contractor. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency issued a Statement of Reasons citing security concerns under Guideline H (drug involvement and substance misuse) and Guideline J (criminal conduct) due to the applicant's admitted use and purchase of marijuana, which is illegal under federal law. The applicant acknowledged his marijuana use from March 2017 to August 2023 and expressed an intent to continue using it recreationally.
In his response to the allegations, the applicant admitted to the use and purchase of marijuana but did not provide any mitigating evidence or express a commitment to discontinue its use. He characterized his marijuana use as similar to alcohol consumption and acknowledged that it violated federal law. The administrative judge found that the applicant's continued intent to use marijuana, despite its illegality, did not mitigate the security concerns raised. Consequently, the judge ruled against the applicant, denying his eligibility for access to classified information, emphasizing that the applicant's behavior raised significant doubts about his reliability and trustworthiness.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · Against Applicant
- Guideline JCriminal Conduct · Against Applicant
Similar decisions
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 25-00265

deniedJan 14, 2026· Hon. Eric H. Borgstrom· hearing

Summary

A 28-year-old engineer was denied a security clearance under Guideline H (Drug Involvement) and Guideline J (Criminal Conduct). The denial stemmed from the applicant's admitted and ongoing use of marijuana, coupled with his stated intent to continue using it, despite acknowledging its illegality under federal law.

The Statement of Reasons specifically alleged that the applicant used and purchased marijuana, and expressed an intent to continue this use, thereby possessing and using marijuana in violation of federal drug laws. Disqualifying conditions were raised under AG ¶ 25(a), AG ¶ 25(c), AG ¶ 25(g), and AG ¶ 31(b).

The administrative judge determined that the applicant failed to provide any mitigating evidence or demonstrate a commitment to abstain from illegal drug use. This lack of commitment and continued intent to violate federal law raised significant doubts regarding his reliability and trustworthiness, leading to the denial of his security clearance.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant admitted to using marijuana illegally and expressed intent to continue its use.
He did not provide any mitigating evidence or demonstrate a commitment to abstain from illegal drug use.
The applicant's actions raised significant doubts about his reliability and trustworthiness.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 25(a)raisedAny Substance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(c)raisedIllegal Possession of a Controlled Substance
AG ¶ 25(g)raisedExpressed Intent to Continue Drug Involvement
AG ¶ 31(b)raisedEvidence of Criminal Conduct

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedApr 10, 2025
Answer filedMay 22, 2024Applicant admitted all allegations.
Hearing held—Decision based on written record.
Decision dateJan 14, 2026

Cite For

Denial of Security Clearance Due to Ongoing Illegal Drug Use
Lack of Mitigating Evidence for Drug Involvement
Impact of Criminal Conduct on Security Clearance Eligibility

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: denied

The judge found that the applicant used and purchased marijuana, and expressed intent to continue using it. The applicant's conduct was deemed inconsistent with national security interests, leading to a denial of the security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant used and purchased marijuana and expressed intent to continue to use marijuana.	Against Applicant	Marijuana	Frequent	Admitted	(a) any substance misuse (b) testing positive for an illegal drug (g) expressed intent to continue, or failure to commit to discontinue	—	—

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

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline J (Criminal Conduct) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: Decision on RecordDecided: denied

The judge found against the applicant regarding the allegation of marijuana possession and use in violation of federal drug laws. The applicant admitted to the allegations and expressed an intent to continue using marijuana, which contributed to the denial of the security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Offense	Criminal disposition	Response	Disqualifying (¶31)	Mitigating applied (¶32)	Mitigation
2.a	Applicant possessed and used marijuana in violation of Federal drug laws.	Against Applicant	Drug Related Criminal Charge	Conduct No Charge	Admitted	(b) evidence of criminal conduct, regardless of charge or conviction	—	—

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

Full decision

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