Man sues FBI for wrongful search

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PITTSBURGH, June 15 (UPI) -- A Bellevue, Pa., man is suing a dozen FBI agents for allegedly violating his constitutional rights, authorities say.

Gary Adams filed the lawsuit Tuesday allegedly the federal agents violated his and his family's Fourth Amendment right to be free from unlawful search and seizure, and Fifth Amendment right to life, liberty and property, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

The lawsuit comes after his home was searched March 3 by agents looking for a previous resident of what is currently the Adamses' home. The agents were looking for Sondra Hunter, one of 29 people charged with being part of a drug gang, the newspaper said. Hunter lived at the property, but left months before the Adamses moved in. The agents had an arrest warrant, but no warrant to search the premises.

The agents "battered down the door to his home and, armed with assault rifles, stormed into his house March 3 in a misguided attempt to serve an arrest warrant on a person who was not related to or who had ever resided with" said Pittsburgh attorney Timothy P. O'Brien, representing the family.

The complaint was filed by 11 family members and names 12 FBI agents.