Three Charged with Impersonating Law Enforcement Officers

Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland, Ohio, returned a four-count indictment charging Laroy Dock, age 57; Milton Willis, age 53; and Quin Willis, age 50, all of Youngstown, Ohio, with impersonating law enforcement officers.

The indictment charges from June 2009, through July 27, 2011, the defendants falsely assumed and represented themselves as “United States Special Constables.” In June 2009 and May 2010, Dock ordered and purchased identification badges for the defendants, which badges stated they were “U.S. Constables.”

On October 9, 2009, Milton Willis impersonated a U.S. government official and displayed a firearm and identification indicating he was a federal law enforcement officer.

On July 27, 2011, Laroy Dock, Milton Willis, and Quin Willis wore uniforms indicating they were U.S. government law enforcement officers (“Constables”) in a courthouse.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Youngstown, Ohio. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David M. Toepfer.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.