Federal agent on trial blames bad informant

CLEVELAND (AP) — A federal drug agent charged with framing 17 people in an undercover sting in Ohio says he may have made mistakes during the investigation involving a rogue informant.

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.

Lucas acknowledged that he relied on the informant even when there were questions about his work, but other law-enforcement officers also relied on him.

The informant is serving time for perjury and other crimes.

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