CLEVELAND — Two former East Cleveland police officers are due back in court on April 6 for sentencing after both previously pleaded guilty to bribery.
They were initially scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office says the case dates back to June and July of 2018, when 53-year-old Von Harris and 29-year-old Demarkco Johnson “provided an individual with falsified police reports in exchange” for cash payments on three separate dates.
“An investigation conducted with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed Harris and Johnson falsified police reports and took money from the individual for their personal use,” prosecutors said. “The individual planned to file an insurance claim worth over $10,000 with the falsified police reports.”
Both pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of bribery as part of a plea agreement. Both have also permanently forfeited their Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy certification.
Below is a timeline of the dates and details of the case as provided by the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office:
- On June 13, 2018, Von Harris and Demarkco Johnson, in police uniform, provided an individual with falsified police reports in exchange for two cash payments of $200 outside of the East Cleveland Police Department.
- On June 20, Harris and Johnson provided an individual with falsified police reports in exchange for two cash payments of $200 outside of a gas station near Shaw Avenue and Euclid Avenue in East Cleveland.
- On July 24, Harris and Johnson provided an individual with falsified police reports in exchange for two cash payments of $500 outside of a gas station near Shaw Avenue and Euclid Avenue in East Cleveland.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on March 20, 2023.
