WASHINGTON — A Baltimore police detective on a DEA Task Force pleaded guilty Tuesday in Baltimore federal court  to stealing Baltimore police funds, submitting a false claims to DEA for an informant and stealing a seized diamond watch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

Authorities alleged that detective Mark J. Lunsford, 40,  fraudulently arranged for an informant to get more than $10,000 in payoffs he didn’t deserve, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. He was also charged with pocketing some of that money.

“Officer Lunsford committed an egregious breach of trust, but it should be noted that thousands of honorable police officers who work to promote public safety and confidence share our dismay when a law enforcement officer violates that trust,” U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein of Baltimore said in a statement.

Christian Militia Hutaree patch/from website

Federal agents seized suspected crack cocaine and steroids, weapons, gas masks and a book of Adolph Hitler’s speeches during raids late last month of the Michigan-based Christian militia group known as the Hutaree, according to the Associated Press.

The AP reported that search warrant records also showed agents found hand grenade instructions and schematics and a container of potassium chlorate.

Authorities have charged that the group planned to kill law enforcement officers in hopes of sparking a revolt against the government.

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By Allan Lengel

The drug war in Mexico just got more complicated.

The Associated Press reports that the Gulf and La Familia drug cartels in Mexico, which were bitter rivals, have joined forces in the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas to try and eliminate a gang of hitmen known as the Zetas gang.

The effort has raised concerns of even more violence in an already very violent environment, AP reported.

The Zetas gang was once the enforcement arm of the Gulf cartel.

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WASHINGTON — Some believe Attorney Gen. Eric Holder Jr. has become pinata for the Republicans, and that may be true again this week.

The Washington Post reports that Holder could take some punches from Republicans when he appears Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee at 9:30 a.m.

The paper reports that Republicans expect to grill him on a number of issues including the controversy over where to try suspected terrorist Khalid Sheik Mohammed.

The Post also reports that “Republicans are livid about Holder’s failure to include in his confirmation questionnaire that he had written friend-of-the-court briefs in the terror case of Jose Padilla, arguing that civilian trials were appropriate to handle terror suspects and keep executive power in check. Holder sent a letter apologizing to the committee immediately after the amicus briefs were disclosed, but “there is still a lot of anger there,” one Republican aide said.”

And there will be other issues as well. Stay tuned.

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house photo

The 48-year-old man who peppered Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with dozens of threatening phone calls over the health care bill, isn’t going anywhere.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Bernard Zimmerman in San Francisco decided Monday that Gregory Lee Giusti should be held without bond, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The paper reported that his mother told the judge that her son “has a very kind heart” but had parroted negative opinions from the media.

Authorities allege that made at least 48 calls to Pelosi between Feb. 6 to March 25 and told her she “won’t have a home to go back to” if she supported the health care legislation.

OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST

• Police Said NJ Teen Told Blacks to Leave Whole Foods (AP)
• DNA Leads to Arrests in Calif. Beach Killings (AP)
• Ohio Terrorists Had Ties to al Qaeda Operative (AP)
• Calif. Man Pleads Guilty to Posing as Navy Officer (AP)
• Calif. Nurse Helps Car Crash Victims and Gets Carjacked (AP)
• Police Arrests 3 in Fatal Ok. Mall Shooting (AP)
• No Widespread Abuse at Justice Dept. on Prosecution Disclosures (The BLT: The Blog of LegalTimes)

Robert Mueller III / file fbi photo

It never hurts for the officialdom of Washington to go beyond the Beltway and see the the rest of the country.

FBI Director Robert Mueller on Monday did just that, and headed to the heartland to visit the FBI’s Springfield, Ill. office to thank employees and reiterate his agenda, the Associated Press reported.

The AP reported that he talked specifically about priorities protecting the nation from terrorist attacks, foreign intelligence threats and cyber attacks.

Mueller’s visit was part of a tour of the FBI’s regional offices, the AP reported. He also met with U.S. Attorneys in central and southern Illinois, the news service reported.

Mueller’s 10 year term ends next year.