Federal agent accused of framing people in Ohio says he may have erred in undercover sting

Federal agent says he may have erred in Ohio sting

CLEVELAND — A federal drug agent charged with framing 17 people in an undercover sting in Ohio says he may have made mistakes during the investigation.

Agent Lee Lucas returned to the witness stand Tuesday at his Cleveland federal court trial. He testified that he may have misidentified one suspect and relied on others involved in the investigation to identify a second suspect.

The apparent misidentification involved a man who said he was in Chicago at the time of a drug buy in Mansfield in 2005. Lucas says he couldn’t accept a flight boarding pass as evidence that the man had been out-of-town and suggested that the defense get a passenger list.

In testimony Monday, Lucas said didn’t know that his paid informant had made up evidence during the investigation. The informant is serving time for perjury and other crimes.