A watermelon left on the desk of a Black senior official at the U.S. Marshals Service has turned into an internal scandal, costing one of the agency’s top leaders his position — at least for now.
The incident, which has sparked outrage among deputy marshals and prompted some employees to nickname it “watermelon-gate,” has also raised questions about how such an incident could happen within the ranks of a federal law enforcement agency.
The agency placed Peter Marketos, assistant director of the Marshals Service’s Investigative Operations Division, on administrative leave while it investigates his alleged involvement.
Someone left the watermelon on the desk of a Black deputy assistant director who worked directly under Marketos, but investigators have yet to determine whether Marketos placed it there himself or someone under his supervision did, according to CBS News, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Watermelon imagery has a long history as a racist stereotype used to demean Black Americans, making the incident particularly offensive to employees within the agency.
Several deputy marshals reportedly viewed the episode as an unacceptable display of racially insensitive behavior that fell far short of the standards expected of federal law enforcement officials.
The allegations have also drawn angry reactions online, with some commenters questioning whether the Trump administration’s political climate has emboldened racist behavior among federal officials.
“I’m surprised he didn’t get a promotion in this administration,” one commenter wrote.
Another added: “WTH is wrong with people???”
Someone else said, “Oh, they thought it was open season with Trump in office.”
The Marshals Service, which operates under the Department of Justice, acknowledged the allegations but declined to discuss the personnel investigation, reports said.
“The U.S. Marshals Service takes seriously any allegation of misconduct by USMS personnel,” a spokesperson said.
“The alleged actions do not reflect the core values of the USMS: Justice, Integrity, and Service. While we recognize the public interest in transparency and accountability, federal privacy laws prohibit discussion of personnel matters.”
CBS News reported that Marketos’ biography has since disappeared from the agency’s website.
One source familiar with the matter said they expect the agency to terminate Marketos.
The leadership change is already underway. Marshals Service employees received a brief email last week informing them that Don Snider would take over the Investigative Operations Division, according to a source familiar with the personnel change.
Marketos had spent more than two decades building a career inside the agency, beginning as a deputy U.S. marshal in 2002. Over the years, he held several prominent positions overseeing sex offender investigations, fugitive apprehensions, and tactical operations.
The agency appointed him acting U.S. marshal for the District of Columbia in March 2023 before naming him assistant director of the Investigative Operations Division later that year.
Marketos also testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2025 about the federal law enforcement task force operating in Washington, D.C.
The division he led oversees some of the Marshals Service’s most important responsibilities, including tracking down fugitives and arresting wanted criminals.
The controversy has also drawn attention to Marketos’ family connections within federal law enforcement. His sister, Rose Marketos, is an FBI agent who was assigned to investigate the so-called “grand conspiracy,” which examines allegations that intelligence officials from the Obama and Biden administrations conspired to prevent Donald Trump from returning to the White House.
The investigation has faced its own upheaval. Jason Reding Quiñones, the top federal prosecutor overseeing the case in South Florida, announced his resignation last week.
CBS News said it contacted Peter Marketos and the Black deputy assistant director allegedly targeted in the incident for comment, but neither had publicly responded to the allegations.
