U.S. Marshall Charged with Stealing Gas

An investigator with the U.S. Marshals Service has been accused of using his government fleet charge card to fill his personal vehicle with gas, according to the Washington Post.

A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court alleges that Peter F. Rouse charged more than $1,000 between August 2009 and December. The charges were unauthorized.

A special agent with the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General wrote in an affidavit that Rouse's supervisors first became suspicious of the charges in 2009. Rouse's charges were higher than those of other employees in the Washington area. Authorities found charges from Rouse on weekends and holidays when he wasn't working. Also, quantities of gas pumped exceeded the capacity of the Crown Victoria assigned to Rouse.

Also, a surveillance video corresponded with one $67.58 June 12 charge at a gas station that showed someone resembling Rouse pumping gas into a pickup trick, court papers say. And a Nov. 16 video from a College Park service station where a $51.01 charge was made on the fleet card shows Rouse pulling his Ford F-150 up to the pump.

Rouse, who has been with the U.S. Marshals Service since 1999, was placed on administrative leave on Dec. 21.