A former East Cleveland, Ohio, police officer who stole thousands of dollars from victims he stopped during traffic stops was sentenced on Thursday.
Willie Sims, 32, was sentenced to two years in prison by the judge. According to court documents, Alfonzo Cole, his partner, was given a sentence of 2 1/2 years in jail and a $40,000 fine on Monday.
Judge Michael J. Russo of the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas informed Sims that his actions had “disgraced” diligent policemen.
The emergency services, including police, firefighters, and EMTs, are the only group in whom the general people may have faith, according to Russo. The public’s faith in the criminal justice system and their confidence in police officers has been undermined by your actions.
According to a news release from the Cuyahoga County Office of the Prosecutor, the two men were detained on July 9, 2021, a day after a driver told the East Cleveland Police Department that they stole $4,000 during a traffic check at a gas station. On Thursday, the victim was scheduled to testify in court, but he informed the prosecution that he had altered his mind because he felt “targeted.”
Cleveland.com reports that the 21-year-old said the officers robbed him when he was en route to a funeral parlor to pay for his mother’s services.
According to Cleveland’s NBC station WKYC, their charges are related to a larger investigation into the East Cleveland Police Department’s potential for wrongdoing. Over a dozen current and former police officers have been accused of a variety of offenses, including former Police Chief Scott Gardner, who is charged with fraud, theft, money laundering, and tampering with records. He’s disputed the accusations.
Sims and Cole’s theft of $14,781 from six different victims between July 2020 through July 2021 was discovered as a result of the investigation into the two former cops, according to the prosecution. The news release indicates that Cole stole two weapons from the victims as well.
The defendant, a 52-year-old victim, had a verbal confrontation with a woman on July 7, 2020, according to the prosecution. Sims responded to the gas station in East Cleveland. According to the prosecution’s testimony in court, the victim was waiting at the petrol station to pick up a check for his company when an enraged customer began screaming at the cashier and then the victim. Sims had already arrived when the victim left to dial 911.
$3,850 in cash slipped out when the victim set a gun he was holding on the car seat. Prosecutors claim that Sims told the victim to exit the car before ordering a search of it. The victim informed Sims about the money, but Sims said there was none in the car, according to the prosecution. They claimed Sims stole the $3,850, brought the victim into custody, and had the automobile towed. Attorneys believe the charge
Sims stole $1,300 from a victim’s 34-year-old victim’s automobile on Nov. 8, 2020, four months later. Sims stopped traffic, according to the prosecution, but the victim’s car was being driven by someone else.
Prosecutors claimed that Sims took $1,300 from the victim’s wallet while the car was being halted.
On July 8, 2021, while under police observation, he robbed another driver, making off with $781 and what seemed to be marijuana sweets.
Sims expressed regret to the court for “putting myself in this position” and to his family and friends. He received a $40,000 fine in addition to serving time in jail.
Prosecutors claimed Cole was accused of robbing four different victims on 4 separate occasions of their money, drugs, and firearms. According to the news release, he robbed a 43-year-old victim during a traffic check on September 22, 2020, taking away $850 and roughly $400 worth of suspected marijuana. He then issued a traffic ticket to the driver. According to the prosecution, the citation had both his signature and a counterfeit one from a police sergeant who wasn’t present.
Sims and Cole each admitted guilt to four charges of robbery and one act of theft in the course of official business last month.
During his sentence, Cole expressed regret for his behavior, according to WKYC. Cole was warned by Judge Russo that he had “damaged everyone in the community.”
When a person takes the oath to be a police officer, Russo added, “he, in essence, is in an unlawful category of his own.” He is a system traitor in essence. He goes well beyond the average thief, crook, or burglar.