Cleveland officer, ex-DEA agent suspected of unlawfully detaining man at bar they call ‘illegal’

MEDINA COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) – A Cleveland Police officer and a former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officer are under investigation after police reports say they unlawfully detained a man they called “illegal” in a Medina County bar.

According to a Brunswick Police report, Brunswick Police were on the scene first on April 26 around 11:50 p.m.

The two officers were at Buzzards Roost in Hinckley Township drinking when they got into an argument with the victim.

“I’m not gonna be the guy on the news like, oh you’re on a f****ing security cam this guy ends up blowing the f***ing mall up tomorrow f**k no, don’t care,” one of the involved officers said in a Brunswick police body camera video. “Don’t care who I offend dude.”

Body-camera footage shows the one officer pinning the victim to the ground when Brunswick Police arrived on scene.

“This guy’s not from this country,” the Cleveland police officer told the responding officer. “So we started fighting with him or whatever so here we are he’s holding him down.”

“Well regardless of if he’s from this country or not what happened?” the Brunswick officer asked.

“He’s not from this country,” the CPD officer responded.

Brunswick Police say the two officers detained a man they claim was in the country illegally.

The victim was a 38-year-old from Texas who had a valid Texas ID.

The victim told police the officers took his phone and ID and again pleaded with them about his citizenship.

“They’re drunk and this guy came up to them and started saying some stuff and they’re like oh this guys a terrorist we can’t let him go,” one of the responding officers told another Brunswick officer.

“That’s what I mean,” another Brunswick officer responded. “Does that sound sane to you?”

The Cleveland police officer who participated in the incident was also on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) taskforce at the time.

“Why they pushing me like this?” the Texas man said to police. “Why they try to break my hand? I’m trying to call police all my stuff they take it out from my pocket.”

The 38-year-old man told officers that he was a truck driver who was making a delivery at Aldi, which is right across from the bar. The Texas man said he didn’t have to make the delivery until Monday so he stopped at the bar for a beer.

Police also questioned the bartender.

“They were really being aggressive with him,” the bartender told police. “They really were. When he was sitting here they were trying to snatch his phone. They were turning his arm.”

The man told police he was a refugee from Ethiopia who had been in the United States for 14 years. Officers said he had a valid commercial driver’s license.

“Essentially these guys were over here drunk trying to detain somebody for no reason,” an officer said to another officer.

Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd sent out a release Friday saying the incident was under investigation.

The Cleveland officer is no longer affiliated with the ATF.

The second officer involved in the incident is currently a “special deputy” with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, according to state records.

19 News has reached out to Lake County Sheriff to see if the officer is also under investigation. We have not yet heard back.

19 News also reached out to the DEA, who said the second officer is no longer a part of their agency.

According to a Hinckley Police report, the Medina County Prosecutor’s Office is considering felony abduction charges for both officers. 19 News reached out to the prosecutor’s office but has not heard back yet.

According to Cleveland Police, the FBI is also investigating.

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