Jury in Cleveland acquits federal drug agent in the framing of 17 people in sting

Jury in Cleveland acquits federal drug agent

CLEVELAND — A jury in Cleveland acquitted a federal drug agent Friday of framing 17 people in a sting.

Drug Enforcement Administration agent Lee Lucas hugged his attorney and fought back tears after the verdict was announced on 18 counts, including obstruction of justice, perjury and deprivation of civil rights.

As the jury announced its verdicts on each count, Lucas sat still with his hands folded in his lap, looking down. After the fourth acquittal, his eyes widened, but he hardly moved until the last acquittal was announced, when he turned and hugged his attorney.

As the judge thanked jurors for their work, Lucas fought back tears and eventually pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his face. He turned to fellow supporters in the gallery and nodded through tears, receiving a pumped fist in the air in response.

Lucas, 41, is a 19-year veteran of the Drug Enforcement Administration. He went to work in his hometown of Cleveland after duty in the drug wars in Bolivia and Miami. He was placed on leave after he was charged in the 2005 case in Mansfield.

The indictment said he made up evidence against suspects fingered by his informant, covered up evidence that might have cleared them and lied about surveillance. The charges led three convicted drug dealers, whose cases were handled by Lucas, to ask for new trials last year.

Prosecutors had told jurors the case against Lucas was strong, even if they discounted the testimony of a paid informant who said he helped Lucas frame people.

The defense called Lucas a crime-fighting legend who had no motive to frame people. As for a prosecution claim that Lucas was trying to polish his conviction record, the defense said Lucas was long past worrying about his work evaluations.

The defense attacked the credibility of witnesses against Lucas, particularly informant Jerrell Bray, an ex-convict killer and low-level drug dealer who has lived in Cleveland and Mansfield. Lucas was his handler, managing Bray’s participation in the sting.

Lucas testified in his own defense and said he might have made mistakes on identifications and in his testimony but never meant to frame anyone. The defense highlighted times when Lucas’ testimony cleared suspects as evidence that he wasn’t trying to frame people.

Bray is serving 15 years for perjury and civil rights violations against those targeted in his role as an informant.

“The truth finally came out after all those years,” Lucas said after leaving the courtroom, surrounded by fellow DEA agents.

Defense attorney Thomas Roth refused to comment while leaving court, except to complain about the media coverage of the case over the years.

Several jurors approached Lucas outside the courtroom and hugged him as the defense boxed up documents from the trial.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Pittsburgh, which prosecuted the case, declined to comment on Friday.