East Cleveland Officer Faces Charges for Filing False Reports Against Victims

Former East Cleveland police officer Latasha Moore, 38, is now facing multiple felony charges after allegedly falsifying reports, misusing police resources, and assaulting a suspect, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.

Moore, who has since resigned from her position, was indicted on nine felony charges and five misdemeanors spanning three separate incidents over a 20-month period. The charges include tampering with records, telecommunications fraud, unauthorized use of computer systems, and assault.

“It is my hope that with this new mayoral administration, reforms have been made that will prevent actions like these in the future,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley in a statement regarding the case.

East Cleveland Police Chief Reginald Holcomb expressed shock at the allegations. “When I heard about it and actually saw it on the court docket, I was shocked and disappointed, because she’s never presented to me that she was that type of officer,” he said.

According to prosecutors, the first incident occurred in January 2024 during a routine traffic stop. After a 23-year-old female suspect fled, Moore allegedly filed false reports claiming the woman had run over her feet and struck her lower legs with the vehicle’s door. Moore subsequently filed fraudulent documentation with the police department, hospital, municipal court, and Workers’ Compensation. Body camera footage from the incident directly contradicted these claims.

In February 2025, prosecutors allege Moore improperly accessed the department’s computer system and law enforcement surveillance cameras for personal purposes, using police resources to track down someone with whom she had a personal relationship by searching their license plate information.

The most recent incident occurred in September 2025, when Moore responded to a call about an unwanted guest in East Cleveland. Prosecutors say Moore falsely claimed a 20-year-old female suspect spat on her during arrest. After the suspect was handcuffed and placed in the police car, Moore allegedly assaulted her. Moore failed to activate her body camera during this incident, but witness accounts contradicted her official version of events.

East Cleveland Mayor Sandra Morgan acknowledged the serious nature of the allegations while defending the majority of the city’s public safety personnel. “It’s unfortunate the officer made the decisions she made, and now she’ll face the music for those, and rightly so,” Morgan told local media. “The majority of the city’s police officers and fire staff go above and beyond every day to do the right thing.”

The case raises concerns about police accountability in East Cleveland, a city that has faced previous controversies involving law enforcement conduct. The prosecutor’s emphasis on reforms under the new mayoral administration suggests a history of institutional issues within the department.

The full list of charges against Moore includes six counts of tampering with records (third-degree felonies), one count of telecommunications fraud (fifth-degree felony), unauthorized use of computer or telecommunications property (fifth-degree felony), possessing criminal tools (fifth-degree felony), workers’ compensation fraud (first-degree misdemeanor), two counts of interfering with civil rights (first-degree misdemeanors), assault (first-degree misdemeanor), and two counts of dereliction of duty (second-degree misdemeanors).

Court records indicate Moore’s arraignment is scheduled for February 20. If convicted, she could face several years in prison, particularly for the third-degree felony charges, which carry more severe penalties under Ohio law.

The East Cleveland Police Department has not provided additional comment beyond Chief Holcomb’s initial statement. The case remains under investigation as prosecutors prepare for court proceedings.