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EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio (WJW) – A grand jury returned indictments on two East Cleveland police officers Friday.

This is unrelated to the two East Cleveland police officers who were also indicted last week. The police chief in East Cleveland is also under investigation.

According to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley, in this case, East Cleveland police officers Von Harris, 52, and Demarkco Johnson, 28, falsified police reports for bribes. The incidents are alleged to have happened in the summer of 2018.

According to the prosecutor, Harris and Johnson gave a person falsified police reports in exchange for cash payments. A press release from O’Malley says the officers were in uniform at the time.

They were allegedly paid two payments of $200 in an exchange that happened outside the East Cleveland Police Department on June 13.

On June 20, Harris and Johnson are accused of giving someone falsified police reports two cash payments of $200 outside of a gas station on Shaw Ave. and Euclid Ave. in East Cleveland.

According to the press release, the officers again gave a person falsified police reports in exchange for two cash payments, this time for $500 in an exchange police say took place at the same gas station.

In addition, an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) claims Harris and Johnson falsified police reports and took money from a person who planned to use those fake reports to file an insurance claim worth more than $10,000.

Von Harris and Demarkco Johnson were indicted on the following charges:

  • Three counts of Bribery
  • Four counts of Tampering With Records
  • One count of Insurance Fraud 

Harris and Johnson will be arraigned at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center. The court date has not been set.

Johnson is currently employed with Euclid’s Police Department.

“All of the alleged crimes occurred in 2018, approximately three years prior to his employment with the Euclid Police Department in June of 2021. At the time of the alleged crimes, Johnson was employed by another police department in Northeast Ohio. As a result of today’s indictment, Johnson has been placed on administrative leave.”

Euclid Police Department

The statement continued, “The Euclid Police Department thoroughly investigates the backgrounds of applicants prior to an offer of employment. The investigation includes a polygraph exam. Our vetting and hiring process is thorough. We will continue to examine and evaluate the process in order to ensure the highest quality candidates for employment with our agency.”

The FOX 8 I-Team reported last week East Cleveland police officers Tyler Mundsen and Brian Stoll were indicted for theft in office, interfering with civil rights, tampering with evidence and dereliction of duty.

Mundsen and Stoll are on unpaid administrative leave.

East Cleveland Police Chief Scott Gardner was indicted on 13 charges two weeks ago, the I-Team reported.

He’s been suspended.