An East Cleveland detective with the major crimes unit is also co-owner of a cigar shop. He and his partner in the business are facing identical felony charges related to the operation of that business. The department has placed the detective on administrative leave without pay until the criminal charges are resolved.
According to reports, the charges against the detective stem from tax and licensing issues with the business. Some of the charges date back to 2009. A statement from the accused detective says he served an accounting function in the business and was not involved in the ordering of products or the licensing of the business.
Fortunately, the detective has vacation time that is serving as his salary for the time being. Any further disciplinary action has been delayed while his superiors wait for the conclusion of the criminal matter. The department has made assurances that this matter has no bearing on any cases in which the detective was involved.
When a criminal matter involves a member of the law enforcement community, officials will often do everything they can to make sure they are being impartial and not seen as “playing favorites” when it comes to an investigation or prosecution. However, the law enforcement official facing felony charges is still entitled to all of the rights applicable to any accused individual, including the presumption of innocence. In this case, the East Cleveland detective denies any involvement in wrongdoing when it comes to this business, and it will be the sole burden of the prosecution to prove otherwise.
Source: cleveland.com, East Cleveland Major Crimes detective facing felony charges in relation to cigar shop, Adam Ferrise, Dec. 9, 2013
