CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley announced Wednesday that 11 former and current East Cleveland police officers have been indicted for allegedly violating civil rights and public corruption.
“There has been a cancer growing in the East Cleveland Police Department,” said Prosecutor O’Malley. “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.”
O'Malley estimated that there are now only 20 active officers in the East Cleveland Police Department.
With Wednesday’s announcement, 16 current or former East Cleveland police officers have been indicted on criminal charges over the last seven months.
“All of these officers, when appointed to these positions, took an oath to serve and protect the public. These actions you are about to see are a complete violation of their oaths,” said O’Malley.
OFFICERS INDICTED
During the press conference, officials released videos of numerous incidents showing a pattern of unlawful conduct from multiple East Cleveland cops, including the following:
- Officer Nicholas Foti
- Officer Ian McInnes
- Officer Kyle Wood
- Sergeant John Hartman
- Officer Tristan Homan
- Officer Brian Stoll
- Officer Tyler Mundson
- Officer Laurice Mans
- Officer Brian Parks
- Daniel Toomer
- Tre Dehart Robinson
“I think to any casual observer, those videos are appalling and a poor reflection of policing within our community and obviously criminal conduct,” said O’Malley.
East Cleveland Police Chief Brian Gerhard told 3News' Emma Henderson that all active officers indicted have been suspended without pay.
Officer Tristan Homan was a former member of the East Cleveland Police Department who was hired by the Elyria Police Department on October of 2022. As Wednesday's events transpired, Elyria Safety Service Director Matt Lundy initially announced that Homan was placed on paid leave. "The city had no knowledge of the incident or any investigation prior to his hire," Lundy stated.
Around 4:15 p.m., Lundy issued a one-sentence statement. “After direct conversations with investigators representing the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and the FBI, the city has terminated Officer Tristan Homan.”
3News streamed O'Malley's press conference live, which can be viewed below.
NOTE: Officials say video will be played during the press conference, but warn that the content “may be graphic or disturbing to viewers.”
THE CHARGES
Eleven officers were indicted from 11 incidents ranging from Feb. 2020 to July 2020. Below is a breakdown of the three indictments and charges.
Indictment 1
Officers Toomer, Wood, Mundson, Stoll, McInnes, Hartman, Homan, Mans and Dehart Robinson were all charged with various criminal offenses in the indictment.
The charges include:
- Felonious assault
- Assault
- Attempted felonious assault
- Interfering with civil rights
- Dereliction of duty
- Telecommunications fraud
- Theft in office
- Tampering with evidence
- Tampering with records
- Obstructing justice
- Disrupting public service
Indictment 2
38-year-old Foti is being charged with the following:
- Felonious assault
- Attempted felonious assault
- Assault
- Interfering with civil rights
- Dereliction of duty
Indictment 3
38-year-old Parks is being charged with the following:
- Felonious Assault
- Attempted felonious assault
- Assault
- Interfering with civil rights
- Dereliction of duty
- Tampering with records
PREVIOUS HISTORY
Seven of the officers facing charges are newly indicted, while four of the officers have been previously indicted and are receiving new additional charges.
Previously, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office has also indicted Scott Gardner, Demarkco Johnson, Von Harris, Willie Warner-Sims and Alfonso Cole, who were all employed at one point by the East Cleveland Police Department.
Altogether, the 16 indicted East Cleveland officers have been involved in 31 separate incidents ranging from June 2018-July 2022. The incidents involve a total of 17 victims.
“There are good police officers in East Cleveland who come to work every day and do what is right. Unfortunately, there is a substantial number who were doing what isn’t right, what has led to these indictments over the past six months,” said O’Malley.
During the press conference, O’Malley was joined by the following officials:
- Criminal Division Chief and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney — Gregory Mussman
- FBI Special Agent in Charge — Gregory Nelsen
The Cleveland office of the FBI has set up a hotline for anyone who has any information on the incidents with the East Cleveland Police Department is asked to call 216-583-5343.