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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- An ATF agent was arrested Monday and charged with stealing money from a house during a drug raid in Lyndhurst.

The 32-year-old Cleveland man appeared before U.S. District Magistrate Judge Greg White late Monday afternoon and was released on $10,000 bond with a preliminary hearing set for Nov. 5.

The theft occurred during a multi-agency raid early Monday, according to an affidavit filed by Nicholas Candela, special agent with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General.

This is what happened, according to the affidavit:

Agents entered the house at 7:11 a.m., handcuffed a suspect and sat him down at a kitchen table. He told investigators that he had a couple pounds of marijuana in the garage and between $45,000 and $50,000 under a bedroom dresser.

Several agents went upstairs. An open plastic bag with money inside was under a nightstand in the corner of the master bedroom. During a search of the room, Ryan Davis, a DEA officer, spotted the accusedf man reaching down behind the nightstand toward the bag of money. He then saw man’s right hand go inside the right side pocket of his cargo pants.

Davis saw the agent make several similar motions and kneel down by the nightstand to untie his right boot. Davis left the room and told another agent that he suspected the agent was stealing money.

Davis observed more suspicious behavior and eventually told his supervisor.

Agents confronted the agent, who was handcuffed and later searched. Bundles of money were found in both of the agent’s front and back pockets and a sweatshirt pocket. Money also fell out of each of his pant legs.

Prosecutors did not say how much money the agent stole, but the crime he’s charged with states the value was more than $1,000.

White appointed attorney Roger Synenberg to represent the agent.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: pkrouse@plaind.com, 216-999-4128