A Brook Park police officer is facing a stack of felony and misdemeanor charges after an arrest by Lorain County Sheriff's deputies, with a judge setting bond at $242,500 following his not-guilty plea this week. Frankie Smith, 28, of Brook Park, was arraigned in Elyria Municipal Court on Wednesday, Oct. 21, and a preliminary hearing has now been scheduled for Oct. 29.
Smith faces felony charges of burglary, improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle and theft, according to The Chronicle-Telegram, which also reported that he is being held on the $242,500 bond. The same report lists misdemeanor charges against him of DUI, criminal damaging and unlawful restraint, all attributed to the Lorain County Sheriff's Office.
The arrest and arraignment were also detailed by Cleveland 19 News, which reported that Smith pleaded not guilty at his Elyria Municipal Court arraignment on Oct. 21 and that a judge has set the preliminary hearing for Oct. 29. The outlet also reported that it reached out to the Lorain County Sheriff's Department for additional information.
Chief Says Incident Happened Outside Brook Park
Brook Park Police Chief Edward Powers III said the incident involving Ptl. Smith occurred in another jurisdiction and remains under investigation, per the same Cleveland 19 report.
How Ohio Law Defines the Felony Charges
Two of the felony counts Smith faces — burglary and theft — carry specific legal thresholds under Ohio law. Ohio law classifies theft as a fifth-degree felony when the value of stolen property or services is at least $1,000 but less than $7,500, or when the property falls under a specific list in the Ohio Revised Code.
Separately, Ohio's aggravated-burglary statute describes trespassing by force, stealth or deception into an occupied structure with intent to commit a crime, when another person is present and the offender inflicts, attempts or threatens physical harm or carries a deadly weapon, according to the Ohio Revised Code. That statute classifies the offense as a first-degree felony.
With the preliminary hearing set for Oct. 29, the case remains in its early stages, and key questions — including the precise location of the alleged incident and Smith's current status with the Brook Park Police Department — remain unresolved in the public record so far.
