Cromer told U.S. Magistrate Judge Shirley Padmore Mensah, “There’s no salacious activity going on.”

He acknowledged turning to CS1 for comfort after his son died of leukemia in 2011, saying the DEA’s employee assistance program had failed him. He said he was depressed, anxious and had survivor’s guilt, but was afraid to let anyone else know.

“In hiding, I chose the wrong person,” he said.

He said he and CS1 had been to dinner, were in the same theater to see a “Three Stooges” movie and had been on two vacations, but stayed in separate rooms and were never intimate. He said sometimes his brother, who was dating CS1’s neighbor, had invited her along. Cromer is married, or was at the time.

He denied falsifying reports to justify payments to CS1, and said no subordinates had either.

“There’s nothing wrong with the work,” he insisted. “That work is solid.”

CS1 was paid $2,500 per month by the DEA. Cromer said that there was no written agreement but that her work was recorded each month to justify her payment. He said that the agency had the same arrangement with others and that his supervisors were aware of it.