all right today is Tuesday February 12
2009 teen is 112 hours here in regards
to internal affairs case 2019 zero zero
one three before we get started make a
Garrety now it's minute
Cleveland Division of Police is
conducting an administrative
investigation the following are the
basic no affects the term Affairs Unit
is conducting an investigation ordered
by the chief of police the investigation
alleges that you were untruthful your
person personal history statement when
applying for the position of patrol
officer for the Cleveland Division of
Police before you get started you Sean
Simmons acknowledge to follow you've
been informed of the nature of the
allegations and a basic no effects prior
to being interviewed on February 12 2009
teen boss city of Cleveland employees
have the right to be accompanied
represented and advised by a union
representative and/or an attorney and
any administrative interview the
information gained from this interview
shall not be used against you in any
criminal proceedings unless you fail to
be truthful if it is determined that
during the statement to the investigator
if you have been untruthful criminal
adult criminal charges may result from
then on truthfulness you've been ordered
to fully and truthfully answer all
questions asked which is your failure to
do so could not only result in the
sanctions would result from termination
from employment I'll sign this you can
sign it at the end full record with Cole
Ryan Ruhlin introduce ourselves
my name is sergeant Roger Stottlemeyer
bashing on six data sent to internal
affairs
sergeant Mitchell she and page 91 30
inside internal affairs Jeff former 6x4
cppm
rejection in support black shield Police
Association
Johnson's badge 370 Keith wall beneath
council's TVPA okay
Shaul offices servants can you tell us
right now understand did you
probationary officer where your your
assignment is signing up you sign at the
end okay yeah um where you're currently
assigned to third District third
District what's shift second okay all
right allegations here that you were
untruthful on your personal history
statement when applying for the police
department
um were you born in United States
yes sir in what city were you born in
Riverside California are you currently a
US citizen yes sir I understand that you
lived in Norway how old were you when
you left to live in Norway about eight
months how long did you live in Norway
up until 2015 2015 it was when you
pretty much 35 years okay so did you
return back to the United States anytime
before the time you went to live in
Norway and returned to the United States
yes the occasions and stuff just
vacation it's how often would you say
you vacation in United States I was here
sometime in like 99 or 2000 I was back
in New York okay well what about Clinton
to Cleveland I want to say 2001 met my
family here for a first time man and
then I came back in like week in 2008
something like that and maybe on ten
eleven okay
so between you know you came for a
couple Chinese on vacation before you
came back permanently in 2015 correct
how many languages do you speak for what
languages are those their reason Swedish
Danish in English okay how well did you
speak English
Liz yeah okay do you consider English to
be your first language so mainly enough
what's your inner region no region did
you did you listen to me back up
did you work in public safety or any
field while you were living in Norway
not public that was the paramedic
paramedic did that all fall under Public
Safety no okay
how many police departments did you
apply for employment when returning to
the United States before returning or
any when you returned in 2015
how many places yeah as far as police
departments probably four maybe and all
were in Ohio yes and my understanding is
that you were employed with two
departments in the Northeast Ohio area
correct when applying for the Cleveland
vision of police you filled out a
personal history form did you understand
the content and instruction on that form
okay
did you know that any false information
in a person history statement form would
disqualify you from being considered for
employment from the Division of Police
yes
so when you read the form you it was in
English where you you were you were
familiar you understood it even though
more regions your your main language you
understood what was being asked to you
and there any emission from the
questions or a non acknowledgement will
disqualify you
yes okay air
nice for you that's a personal history
for sir right before we get started if
you go down to the middle of it they
said if it's responsibility is it is a
responsibility of applicant to assure
all information provided is accurate
complete and truthful falsification
willful misrepresentation or intentional
omission of material information will
result in disqualification and or
termination from employment for the
division of police unintentional failure
to include information may also result
in to disqualification but it may
because it may also be considered
untruthfulness therefore you should take
necessary actions to obtain all
information such as research criminal
traffic civil employment information etc
so pretty much that was when you fill it
out you you read through that and you
sign it and date it of to 10 2017
correct is there can you turn to page 23
for me
23 it stopped its criminal history and
arrests if you go down to the bottom as
an adult have you ever been arrested
received a criminal citation for
misdemeanor traffic offense I've been
subpoenaed or submitted to prepare as a
defendant and in Criminal Court
proceedings you said when you put any
where you put it in a way for you put it
in a and also you put know as the title
um and it was a space where you can
explain if so you put n/a so have you
ever been arrested
yes where were you were arrested it in
Norway in Norway and what were you
arrested for in Norway something that is
called psychological conspiracy nope
second company taste sourcing okay you
like that how many times were you
arrested in Norway one just one time
lizard and did you serve any jail time
in connection with that arrest is there
how much how long did you serve in jail
I was in jail for like two or three
months okay and a bond being released
where you put on any type of probation
or anything in such now I don't think we
had you know a probation nothing we have
to report John is relationship and
master only only got arrested one time
what about the incident where there was
a kidnapping they came back were you
allegedly arrested for kidnapping
Emma that was dropped were you arrested
for oh yeah we were arrested for okay
and you said that was thrown out so you
didn't do any jail time right what about
the aggravated assault
a grenade aggravated assault
ten-nine of 2015 we arrested for
aggravated assault 2015 2015 October 9th
you don't think so you know remember
October 2015
October 9th of 2015 in the district also
is it oh also I saw also yeah Norway you
were arrested for aggravated assault was
that do you remember that no you don't
remember that no but you do remember the
case from November 17 to 2008 and the
district of anger Agner AG de are Norway
he did yes and that was the one that you
excuse me you said you went to jail for
how long two months two months and those
crimes of that crimes to be considered a
misdemeanor or a felony don't have those
type over I actually asked my lawyer
about it and like it's hard to say
because we don't go under the same thing
we don't like do misdemeanor and felony
things oh okay a traffic ticket here a
minor misdemeanor or a misdemeanor
offense to do it did he still have the
same offenses in no way you go to jail
for like a traffic offense there is it
what would the classification be would
it be a minor would be a misdemeanor
would be a felony what would be the
classification I guess it would be minor
okay even though you okay if you would
be speeding would end up in jail like
when one is 31 days okay no it's just
something that that you just purposely
omitted when filling out the personal
history form as far as not being
arrested say that again did you
purposely omit did you purposely remover
not put on an application about your
prior arrest
back in 2008 know what you did know you
could recall that you were arrested at
that time correct so is it safe to say
that by you check-in no on the personal
history statement for that you neglected
to inform the city of an accident in
which you were actually arrested correct
at the time I was filling it out that
assumed it was carrying the state's use
of what was here in the states that my
retrograde was from here in the States
there's nowhere in there that
differentiates the United States or
abroad
it's just says if you were arrested for
any there's a criminal activity that
it's you should note it correct so so
you're assume that by this form here
that it only applied to crimes that
would have been committed in United
States by the outside but you didn't
answer our question
any recruitment personnel about that
it's not not completely I knew about I
was charged for in Norway okay the case
that I have in Norway is expunged they
don't show up on my record here okay so
when I looked up the law here is that I
don't need to disclose anything that is
expunged and what does that follows
because you know applying for any job
and public safety especially law
enforcement that even oa6 exponents is
can be open we can review expansion did
not know that yeah we can review any
explosion whether it's it's much or not
that's why it there's no exception in
there and that mentions expungements all
right because any case whether it's
explosion that we have the access to
review such findings right and my
understanding is that you went through
you were hired three other police
department did you notify them of any
rest that happened outside of the
country no no
do you have any social media such as
Facebook Instagram Twitter anything
mm-hmm
do you still currently have those I'm on
Facebook but I have Instagram okay why
don't you have Facebook because I do it
okay now why this venture delete your
facebook after being placed on sure did
it because you have Facebook yeah
okay why did you remove your facebook
after being replaced on stricter do I
was worried about the media and all he's
worried about the media so is there
anything is gonna actually there
anything that you thought you were
trying to hide by deleting the Facebook
the your Facebook information would be
your first it's right it's you yeah
so you deleted it because you were
worried about the media maybe finding
out are you associated or member of a
outlaw motorcycle group group the hills
in Norway Hills Angels no do you have
any associates I've got a friend that is
with them just one friend how close of a
frame would you consider person to be he
back in Bates it was really close we
were up in the same area no man since I
was like very young like seven eight is
maybe nine and on my entire life he
rendered my basement
Thank You Norway okay so you see the
only one mmm-hmm did he know you were
police officer in the States
no he didn't know how did he find out
how he found out yeah Victor who picture
on facebook picture on Facebook mmm-hmm
okay so you never told him that you were
coming in to the station when you were
here at you're a police officer no I
have to return it to the state's in 215
did you stay in contact with him not
really
could I clarify something yes just
because there was kind of a compound
question did you fuck your friend day
that you were moving to in the states is
that correct yeah he knew I was moving
here folks
okay but he didn't know you intended to
become more had become now Christmas
okay yeah no less in these times so so
it's safe to say that you know you're
admitting that you were arrested and
convicted of a crime and while living in
Norway and you served jail time quick
and how much jail time did you you say
you started approximately I was in day
like two or three months okay and you
say there's no probation system or
anything as far as once you're released
from jail yeah when I was released I was
usually done okay anything bitch yeah
the extortion charge what were the what
was the basis of it so they said because
my friend I was living in basement
I should have knowledge or everything
that was or had some knowledge of their
attempt and I didn't report it to the
police what happened that caused that
thought it was that was there an
incident that they do something what did
they do so they went to some city south
from where we live and they was they was
yeah extorted somebody okay and they you
you weren't there at the time no where
were you with them you didn't drive him
there nothing like that nothing done
okay did you have any involvement with
the no other than him being an associate
and he was acting as a member of the
Hells Angels when this happened no he
was you know he was not part of old he
was not at the island okay but there's
like the government there said that you
should have known that he was going to
do it yes and that's how you got tied in
to the case okay and then you said you
were arrested for kidnapping but they
dropped the drop to charge what was the
basis of that arrest
somebody that fit my description back in
Norway because I had up a long ponytail
yeah that's it okay now that you said
you don't remember being arrested or
charged with aggravated assault in
October 2015 before you in Norway in
October 2015
I think it was in the States will be one
in 2015 that's the era mule deer okay
well and how soon did you become a
police officer a few military my first
Academy was the sixteen okay
so I believe September 16 okay so you're
you don't remember an aggravated assault
charge no Norway you're not sure you
were in Norway at the time I'm pretty
sure I was there in the States
okay in October of 2015 great and what
just out of curiosity what would cast it
to because they're crimes seem a little
different in Norway
what would constitute an aggravated
assault in Norway versus here it's it's
you cause serious physical harm and a
sudden fit of passion right this is the
aggravated assault here is it the same
there is it different it would it's hard
but it would be different for them we
don't have the the different levels
right here I think it's a third degree
felony to commit an aggravated assault
right is it is it less and are lawyers
in more in Norway sorry say that again
is it like less of a crime in Norway's
and like Oh what is there a lesser
standard for aggravated assault or is it
is it worse
I'm really not sure I was trying to read
the laws in Norway and write coded like
one through write it down it is kind of
awkward because we have something that
is called so the new reason Burford
would be like very very minor so if you
if you would push somebody that would
become like the mildest one that's an
assault like just a misdemeanor here
that is all okay if you would slap
somebody that would be the so yeah so
from just slapping somebody and you can
be charged with aggravated assault yeah
but now we don't have that aggravated
part so it's awkward to like explain it
okay well we couldn't like as far as I
know we come like separate but between
two months and the first one is like
super minor and the one takes everything
okay what if I think somebody look like
I just say a pole or something like only
some saw you call seriously exactly to
say it will be so between slapping and
hit somebody with a pole it'll be kind
of the same yes
so for them very minor one mm-hmm
or everything above the very minor one
everything will go in there say if you
hit somebody if you hit somebody would
have gone or a bat or whatever it would
all be the same I'm like crime there you
know a fall under that one category
right it's a salt right and then I
believe when they gonna kind of like
sentence you for jail time they messy
like how serious it was but the charge
would be the same still really I'm the
only deal where like they plead it down
to a lesser charge no really you get
found if you get I'm guilty of a certain
crime you get found guilty and learn
that does the judge determine then like
how serious all right
okay we don't operate with a jury like
we do here and that's tough
okay now would you would you with the
extortion charge that you were found
guilty of what you were you concerned
that head you put that on your
location that you wouldn't have been no
you wouldn't have been hired no not all
they can take and concern you know how
much how much jail time did your
associate get one got I think the league
I got like four years and how many how
many total was it that it involved in
this incident
give me like six and everybody got
arrested and went to jail yes
everybody did jail time
very own just on a quick wrap-up you
apply for the Cleveland division of
police and their personal histories of
statement form you underst
you understood what was asked of you to
do as far as fill out the form you
answered everything but when we get to
page 23 and it comes to the criminal
history you you check no knowingly
because you perceive that the question
asks only pertaining to crimes they're
happening in United States not Norway
isn't right but you knew that you had
been arrested and been convicted of a
crime in Norway this was considered a
felony as far as our statue and what was
presented us from Norway right okay and
you you carried on you didn't excuse me
you didn't think that question I
actually want in regards to just omit me
that information knowing that it
happened no yeah yeah just in here
something I think to talk to him before
I think the expulsion in Norway also
when with this train of thought why you
would answer had no to as far as being
expunged expunged I'm sorry yeah okay so
I think healthy she wasn't untrue but I
think he had multiple reasons why he
shouldn't
you can I get the question reads what it
is but I think thought make sure that
I'm getting everything out that we
talked about his train of thought was
with the expulsion in the American
America okay so by you yeah by you had
this expunged in Norway you you you
thought it was just sealed and it
couldn't be open whether you you know
you came back here you thought it was
just pretty much gone it was so silly
right conviction because
you brought a document from Robert but
okay when I'm sorry No so when we it's
got like three jobs in or that it's kind
of like very strict when you come to
background his teacher because you work
with kids and paramedic because you work
with kids and drugs and this police
officer okay so those jobs can come like
or they require like a thorough
background check
okay so I have because I became a
paramedic in 2013 okay I believe and
when I did a background check
he it was clean so that is six years
after so I got the job and everything
and I'm on the paper now this is a
region so what you're saying is you
apply to get a job in Norway that
requires that has a stricter background
investigation and by your record being
sealed right you thought that by being
sealed that you got the job he thought
that was Ryan it was done right and when
you came here by you getting hired there
clear an air background check you on a
field sold by coming to the states that
it was it was suffice like right here
right but you didn't think to just check
yes and explain it on the know because
so in Norway when we or when anything is
expunged
they tells do not put it there and you
apply for job because that's kinda like
the reason for expungement because it's
kinda like expunged okay so they keep
telling us if you have anything don't
disclose it so I looked up the law here
also the only thing I could find was by
law you do not need to to disclose it
and then I read other pages from Ohio
and is that I explained you the reason
and it was pretty much the same as in
Norway why you should know this was it
or why you do not legally need to
disclose it to inform you that applying
for a law enforcement
any public safety job that is something
that you have to reveal because it will
be discovered doing a background check I
got all the paperwork air that is S&S
okay so that was that was a reason for
you not putting it on your person who
see for him because you had a five for a
job and which in Norway which they did a
thorough background hitting every and
every came up or and most jobs normally
can can't even require it a background
check they don't require rock moles are
not legally allowed to require it okay
but slug you say teacher and
hermetically police leased and they
require right okay and you didn't think
is the issue it was an issue with other
departments that you applied for when
you were working for actually run it was
putting Bay and Lindo it was an issue
there just came issue on a Cleveland for
um and as far as having association with
and I'm sorry
know what so for lyndale and put it made
they also do like background
investigation uh-huh and I've seen like
because they don't get anything back
from Norway is because when you spoken
like directly to knowing whatever
because it disclosed they don't even
talk I gave it up because it is already
because it was tsunami Spanish okay
alright okay I see what you said you say
since they went through and did the
background they went through if you
saying they never got anything back from
their country no because the the record
was sealed great so you just assumed
that everything was now when you when
you fill out those application did you
notify them that you were had been
arrested no no okay and as far as the
affiliation with the motorcycle game you
say you you're not you were not a member
right or associate right prospect or any
you just associate your associate of
members right so it's this is kind of
like a little awkward thing because
he'll dangers are extremely racers but
my friend that is then
it's obviously white region but he know
me since elementary so he's had our come
like still friends with me after he
moved out of my house is when he got
into Los Angeles and he can like follow
that line and after that we haven't
talked too much but yeah we talk every
now and then like bring it look like hey
how are you how is everything I know but
they don't allow kind of like black
people at all is what would you consider
your nationality or ethnicity black
you're black okay and you say they don't
have him they'll accept any why it's not
even remotely motely okay and in the
Norwegian Hells Angel would you consider
to be a violent will they be violent no
it's I think it's different here um no
sorry more of a social club I think most
of them have probably been in jail they
got tattoos on their faces and I live it
but most of them are actually working
people everybody has like a job and
everything like that okay so and then
when I came here I heard I'm like a
different story different story on those
things okay so so we know no affiliation
he's just associate you referring it
within a member and you guys you went
one way he went away at point way but
you were talk occasionally and that's
how you would kind of be somewhat
associated because you you you had a
friendship with a member right okay um
and as far as your Facebook account you
you said you said your Facebook account
down the day that you were placed on
restricted duty because you didn't want
the media all right to blow everything
about a performer alright people at my
work both were like if neither found out
about this they gonna go through your
Facebook and they want to mess you up
you just never sort of like you to if
you have open and still just shut it
down delete it you don't need it you
just gonna get that you have your
Twitter and Instagram have Twitter I've
got an Instagram
they probably have two about don't users
okay but you still have Instagram it's
just I don't use that neither okay
anything sir of course um that's one I'm
not sure the record was clear at the
time that you were arrested on the
extortion issues even you were at that
time a teacher
correct correct okay great I don't have
anything we will conclude this it is 144
you