Cleveland ATF agent steals money from suspected drug house

CLEVELAND - A former special agent with the Cleveland office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing money seized at a suspected drug house.

Barbara McQuade, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, said that Steven Campbell, 32, was executing a federal search warrant Oct. 18 when he stole and hid about $46,785 in cash that had been recovered.

"Just as we hold public officials accountable for wrongdoing, we hold federal agents accountable as well," McQuade said.

An affidavit previously issued explained that Campbell hid the cash in various places in his clothing, but was caught when another federal agent observed the theft in progress.

The investigation was conducted by the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Affairs Division of the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, and Firearms.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Michigan because the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern
District of Ohio is recused from the case.