CLEVELAND – Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that a Cuyahoga County grand jury has returned an indictment charging former East Cleveland police officers Von Harris, 52, and Demarkco Johnson, 28, for falsifying police reports and accepting bribes in summer of 2018.

On June 13, 2018, Von Harris and Demarkco Johnson, in police uniform, provided an individual with falsified police reports in exchange for two cash payments of $200 outside of the East Cleveland Police Department.

On June 20, Harris and Johnson provided an individual with falsified police reports in exchange for two cash payments of $200 outside of a gas station near Shaw Avenue and Euclid Avenue in East Cleveland.

On July 24, Harris and Johnson provided an individual with falsified police reports in exchange for two cash payments of $500 outside of a gas station near Shaw Avenue and Euclid Avenue in East Cleveland.

An investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed Harris and Johnson falsified police reports and took money from the individual for their personal use. The individual planned to file an insurance claim worth over $10,000 with the falsified police reports.

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 at a later date.

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office declines to comment further due to an ongoing investigation.