An East Cleveland police officer and a former dispatcher have found themselves on the wrong side of the law, with felony charges including tampering with records and evidence, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O'Malley announced. Officer James Covell, 48, stands accused of a series of law violations stemming from two separate incidents in May 2024, while former dispatcher Christopher Rashad Cotton, 20, faces a charge linked to one of those incidents.
The first incident, occurring on May 9, involved a traffic stop that escalated into a chase when the target vehicle fled into Cleveland; Covell later claimed, falsely, that the fleeing Hyundai had rammed his cruiser, a statement he repeated to both Cleveland and East Cleveland police and used in a subsequent insurance claim. The other episode unfolded on May 24, when Cotton, in a reported state of intoxication, collided with an RTA bus and Officer Covell, in responding to the scene, removed a firearm from Cotton's car prior to the arrival of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority police and failed to inform them of the firearm, according to details released by the Prosecutor's Office and further investigation with the help of the Cleveland Division of the FBI.
Covell's indictment on Wednesday includes charges for tampering, fraud, obstruction, and dereliction of duty, as detailed in the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's official press release. Cotton, separately convicted and sentenced for his involvement in the RTA bus crash, is now facing a charge for improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle.
"It is an honor and a privilege to serve the public and to hold a position of trust," Prosecutor O'Malley said, according to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office website, adding, "Officer Covell not only betrayed the trust of the community he swore to protect — he broke the law and will be held accountable." These legal proceedings underscore the gravity of ethical conduct expected of law enforcement officials, especially when entrusted with public safety, with both defendants scheduled to be arraigned at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center at a later date undisclosed at the time of reporting.
