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ISCR Case 25-00721 — CASE

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ISCR Case 25-00721

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

Case Profile
Decision Date1/8/2026
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Judge: Darlene Lokey Anderson
Government Counsel: Aubrey M. De Angelis
Applicant's Counsel: Eric Grasberger
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 54-year-old managing partner and equity owner of a defense contracting firm, seeking a security clearance. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing concerns under Guideline H, Drug Involvement and Substance Misuse, and Guideline J, Criminal Conduct. The core allegations included the applicant's history of illegal drug use, specifically involving Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), from approximately January 1994 to September 2024.
During the proceedings, the applicant admitted to using THC infrequently over the years, with his last use occurring in September 2024. He claimed that his use was minimal and primarily for stress relief, asserting that he had never felt dependent on the substance. The applicant expressed a newfound understanding of the implications of his drug use on his security clearance eligibility and committed to abstaining from any illegal drug use in the future. Testimonies from colleagues and family members supported his character, emphasizing his reliability and trustworthiness.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, concluding that the evidence presented, including the applicant's commitment to abstain from drug use and the positive character references, mitigated the security concerns raised in the SOR. The judge emphasized the importance of the applicant's professional standing and the lack of any criminal history, ultimately determining that the applicant posed no risk to national security.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · For Applicant
- Guideline JCriminal Conduct · For Applicant
Similar decisions
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 25-00721

grantedJan 8, 2026· Hon. Darlene Lokey Anderson· hearing

Summary

A 54-year-old managing partner at a defense contracting architecture firm was granted a security clearance despite allegations under Guideline H (Drug Involvement) and Guideline J (Criminal Conduct). The government alleged the applicant used controlled substances, specifically THC, from January 1994 to about September 2024, constituting criminal conduct and raising concerns about reliability and trustworthiness.

Disqualifying conditions were raised under Adjudicative Guidelines (AG) ¶ 25(a), AG ¶ 25(c), AG ¶ 31(a), and AG ¶ 31(b). However, the administrative judge applied mitigating conditions under AG ¶ 26(a), AG ¶ 26(b), AG ¶ 32(a), and AG ¶ 32(d).

The clearance was granted because the applicant acknowledged the seriousness of his past THC use and demonstrated a commitment to abstain from illegal drug use. His infrequent use was deemed unlikely to recur, and strong professional and personal references attested to his reliability and good judgment, ultimately mitigating concerns about his current reliability.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant demonstrated a commitment to abstain from illegal drug use after acknowledging the seriousness of his past THC use.
Strong professional and personal references attested to the applicant's reliability and good judgment.
The applicant's infrequent THC use was deemed unlikely to recur, mitigating concerns about his current reliability.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 25(a)raisedSubstance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(c)raisedIllegal Possession of a Controlled Substance
AG ¶ 31(a)raisedPattern of Minor Offenses
AG ¶ 31(b)raisedEvidence of Criminal Conduct

Mitigating

AG ¶ 26(a)appliedInfrequent Use Unlikely to Recur
AG ¶ 26(b)appliedAcknowledgment and Actions Taken to Overcome Drug Involvement
AG ¶ 32(a)appliedTime Elapsed Since Criminal Behavior
AG ¶ 32(d)appliedEvidence of Successful Rehabilitation

Key Rule Quoted

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

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedJul 17, 2025
Answer filedAug 17, 2025
Hearing heldDec 3, 2025
Decision dateJan 8, 2026

Cite For

Mitigation of Drug Involvement Under Guideline H Due to Infrequent Use and Commitment to Abstain
Successful Rehabilitation in Cases of Past Substance Misuse
Importance of Strong Personal and Professional References in Security Clearance Decisions

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: HearingDecided: granted

The judge found that the Applicant had used THC infrequently from 1994 until September 2024, which raised concerns about reliability and trustworthiness. However, the Applicant demonstrated a commitment to abstaining from illegal drug use and understanding the importance of maintaining a drug-free lifestyle, leading to a favorable decision regarding eligibility for a security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	The Government alleges that the Applicant has used controlled substances that cause physical or mental impairment or are used in a manner inconsistent with their intended purpose, which can raise questions about an individual’s reliability and trustworthiness.	For Applicant	Marijuana	Occasional	Denied	—	(a) behavior happened long ago / infrequent / unlikely to recur	Documented Abstinence Period Documented

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: HearingDecided: granted

The judge found in favor of the applicant regarding the allegation of criminal conduct related to THC use. The applicant's infrequent use of THC was acknowledged, but the judge credited the applicant's commitment to abstaining from illegal drug use and understanding the importance of maintaining a drug-free lifestyle, leading to a granted decision.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Offense	Criminal disposition	Response	Disqualifying (¶31)	Mitigating applied (¶32)	Mitigation
2.a	Applicant engaged in criminal conduct, in violation of state and Federal laws, when he used THC from January 1994 to about September 2024.	For Applicant	Drug Related Criminal Charge	Conduct No Charge	Denied	—	(a) so much time has passed, or unusual circumstances, that it is unlikely to recur (b) pressured/coerced and unlikely to recur absent that pressure	—

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.