A Kenmore man faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine after pleading guilty in a Seattle federal court to charges related to his alleged attempt to sell a gold bookmark purportedly once belonging to Adolf Hitler.

Christian Popescu, 37, was first arrested Nov. 25, 2008, at a Bellevue Starbucks on Northeast Eighth Street after allegedly trying to sell the bookmark to a federal undercover agent.

According to a complaint filed with the federal court at the time of Popescu’s arrest, the bookmark was stolen in October 2002 along with several other items from an auction house in Madrid, Spain.

In the November complaint filed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the bookmark was described as originally having been a gift to Hitler from his longtime female companion Eva Braun, apparently meant to console the German dictator after his army’s defeat at Stalingrad in February 1943.

The bookmark is inscribed and reads in part, “My, Adolf, don’t worry (the defeat) was only an inconvenience that will not break the certainty of your victory.”

ICE has placed the value of the bookmark at about $13,000, though the original complaint against Popescu claims the suspect wanted to sell the item for between $100,000 and $150,000.

According to ICE, a confidential informant led federal agents to launch an investigation into the whereabouts of the bookmark and possible connections to Popescu in August 2008. They allegedly first watched Popescu first meet with their informant in the parking lot of the Bellevue Starbucks on Nov. 10 of last year. Eventually, officials allege the informant arranged a meeting between Popescu and an undercover ICE agent at the Starbucks on Nov. 25. ICE states Popescu was arrested shortly after agreeing to sell the bookmark for $100,000.

According to information released this month by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Popescu told ICE agents that a necklace stolen with the bookmark had been melted down. The bookmark was thought to be more valuable if left intact.

As part of the plea agreement recently reached, Popescu forfeited possession of the bookmark to the federal government. The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not make clear what might happen to the bookmark now.

The item was stolen from the Madrid auction house just a few days before it was to be put up for sale. The original complaint against Popescu states Spanish National Police arrested a Romanian national in connection with the auction-house thefts. The complaint contains no information alleging or denying any link between the theft and Popescu, who is also Romanian.

Popescu faces sentencing June 12 by U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez.