Two East Cleveland cops plead guilty to ripping off suspected drug dealers

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Two East Cleveland police officers pleaded guilty Monday to corruption charges.

(Ryllie Danylko, Northeast Ohio Media Group)

AKRON, Ohio -- Two East Cleveland police detectives admitted Monday to stealing tens of thousands of dollars from suspected drug dealers using illegal search warrants.

Antonio Malone, 33, and Eric Jones, 38, each pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges for robbing and extorting several people and violating their rights.

Flanked by their attorneys, the detectives did little more than answer U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi's questions during an 80-minute hearing at the federal courthouse in Akron. They stood and said "guilty, your honor" when asked how they pleaded, effectively ending their law enforcement careers.

Under plea agreements, both have agreed to cooperate as prosecutors continue to build a case against a third defendant, Sgt. Torris Moore.

In exchange for their cooperation, the U.S. Attorney's Office has agreed to recommend a sentence of up to six years for Malone and nearly five years for Jones, who is considered a lesser player in the scheme.

Lioi did not set a sentencing date. Both men are free on $25,000 unsecured bonds.

Malone, Jones and Moore were accused in October of conspiring to steal cash from four suspected drug dealers between 2012-14. The officers would sometimes split the money among themselves and others, or just keep it.

The trio, who worked in the city's street crime unit, received search warrants by filing false statements to municipal judges, according to charging documents.

In one case, Malone pulled over a drug dealer, Mark Makupson, and agreed to not arrest him. Malone then arranged to tow Makupson's car, but had the drug dealer retrieve all but $3,000 that he had in his glove compartment.

The FBI started its investigation about two years ago. All three defendants have resigned from the East Cleveland Police Department.

Malone has agreed to pay more than $23,000 in restitution and Jones has agree to pay $13,000.

Moore, who supervised the drug unit and sent information to county prosecutors for charging, has pleaded not guilty. Her role was mostly on the paperwork end, prosecutors have said, though she also helped enact falsified search warrants and split the money they stole.

Her next court date is set for Nov. 24.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty's office has said the corruption has resulted in charges being dropped against a few suspects.