Secret Service Agent Arrested for Burglary, Property Destruction

A uniformed officer in the Secret Service's Foreign Missions Branch was put on leave and his security clearance suspended Friday after he was arrested in Washington, the agency said.

Metropolitan Police arrested Arthur Baldwin early Friday in northeast Washington on a felony charge of first-degree attempted burglary and destruction of property. Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy ordered that Baldwin be placed on administrative leave and suspended his security clearance after his arrest.

Court records show Baldwin was to be arraigned Friday afternoon. The records do not list an attorney for Baldwin and a telephone number could not be located.

Baldwin's arrest comes two days after a high-ranking supervisor was also put on leave after he was accused of misconduct in a case that is also being investigated by police. The Homeland Security Department's inspector general is investigating the allegations of misconduct by the supervisor.

Baldwin's arrest and the earlier allegation of misconduct are the latest black eyes for the agency responsible for protecting the president and his family.

The inspector general is already investigating a March 4 incident in which two high-ranking agency officials are accused of driving into a secure area at the White House after a night of drinking.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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