Cleveland police officers sentenced to prison for robbing people during traffic stops

Two former East Cleveland police officers, Willie Sims and Alfonzo Cole, have been sentenced to prison for stealing thousands of dollars from people they pulled over during traffic stops. Sims received a two-year prison sentence, while Cole was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison and fined $40,000. The officers stole a total of $14,781 from six victims between July 2020 and July 2021. Their arrests are part of a wider investigation into corruption within the East Cleveland Police Department, which has seen more than a dozen current and former officers charged with various crimes.