CLEVELAND — Two more East Cleveland police officers were indicted by a Cuyahoga County grand jury on Tuesday as the department's legal problems continue.
The indictment charges Commander Larry McDonald, 46, and Sergeant Anthony Holmes, 36, with tampering with evidence and telecommunications fraud, among other charges, for an incident that occurred in March of this year.
With Tuesday's announcement, 17 current or former East Cleveland police officers have been indicted on criminal charges over the last nine months.
According to the office of Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley, on March 12 of this year, East Cleveland Police Commander Larry McDonald attempted to execute a traffic stop in East Cleveland.
The pursuit ended when the 42-year-old victim crashed his vehicle into a bus stop near Ivanhoe Road and St. Clair Avenue in Cleveland. Prosecutors say McDonald saw the crash and then fled the scene. A Good Samaritan later contacted the police and members of the Cleveland Division of Police (CPD) responded to the scene.
Authorities add that McDonald did not report to dispatch that he was engaged in a pursuit or that the crash had happened. O'Malley's office says Holmes contacted McDonald and advised him of the accident, adding that Holmes knew that the CPD initiated an investigation and withheld knowledge of McDonald’s involvement in the pursuit.
McDonald was indicted on the following charges:
- One count of Tampering With Evidence
- One count of Failure To Stop After Accident
- One count of Telecommunications Fraud
- One count of Obstructing Official Business
- One count of Dereliction Of Duty
East Cleveland police officials confirmed to 3News that on Tuesday, McDonald submitted his letter of resignation, and noted that had he not done so he would have faced termination of employment. Administrators say an internal departmental investigation verified the charges against McDonald, leading to his ouster.
Even though the internal probe concluded the day before the indictment came down, East Cleveland Police Brian Gerhard says this was merely coincidental and that his department's investigation into McDonald's conduct was separate from the county prosecutor's inquiry. When speaking to WKYC Wednesday, members of City Council expressed relief that McDonald was gone.
"It seems to me this case is straightforward, it's well-documented on the recordings, that it is appropriate that Larry McDonald is no longer with the police force," Council Vice President Patricia Blochowiak said, "and I'm pleased with that."
Anthony Holmes was indicted on the following charges:
- One count of Tampering With Evidence
- One count of Telecommunications Fraud
- One count of Obstructing Justice
- One count of Obstructing Official Business
- One count of Dereliction Of Duty
Cuyahoga County prosecutors add that additional charges have been added against Holmes and former officer Tristan Homan for an incident that took place on October 3, 2021. Homan and Officer Ian McInnes were attempting a traffic stop on a 16-year-old victim. After the stop ended near E. 105th and Superior, the victim sat down and placed his hands in the air. Officials say McInnes ran up to the victim and kicked him in the groin.
Homan and Holmes were changed with the following:
- One count of Tampering With Records
- One count of Telecommunications Fraud
- One count of Dereliction Of Duty
- One count of Assault
Homan was a former member of the East Cleveland Police Department who was hired by the Elyria Police Department on October of 2022. After being indicted on other charges in March of this year, Homan was fired by Elyria police.
In March, prosecutors indicted 11 former and current East Cleveland police officers for allegedly violating civil rights and public corruption.
“There has been a cancer growing in the East Cleveland Police Department,” said O’Malley in announcing the indictments in March. “We are doing our best to remove every tentacle of that cancer, so this department can rebuild and grow to put itself in a position to hire officers who will enforce the law as well as follow the law. This is a sad day for all of law enforcement.”
The indictments decimated department staffing, and while employment numbers have since improved somewhat, officials stress the process is ongoing.
"I'd rather have three good cops than 30 bad cops in our city," City Council President Juanita Cowdy told 3News, "but as far as rebuilding, it's going to take a little time."