A judge in Washington, D.C. has signed arrest warrants for six employees of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who are accused of defrauding taxpayers of over $440,000 through fraudulent overtime pay claims. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced the warrants on Tuesday, stating that the officers face charges including first-degree fraud, first-degree theft, forgery, and uttering. The officers involved are Peter Sheldon, Frantz Fulcher, Thomas Krmenec, Bernadette Richardson, Dorrie Smith Cleere, and Johnnie Dyer.
Pirro stated that these officers betrayed public trust by collecting unearned income, costing taxpayers significant amounts. The total amount allegedly stolen by the officers is $441,137.03, with claims made in 2024. The investigation revealed that they manipulated agency records and forged signatures to approve false claims. Fulcher is reported to have logged the most fraudulent hours, totaling 1,861, which resulted in over $174,915 in fraudulent pay. Other amounts include $87,397 for Smith Cleere, $89,478 for Krmenec, $43,351 for Richardson, $27,721 for Dyer, and $18,272 for Sheldon.
District Attorney General Brian Schwalb noted that while his office cannot prosecute the individuals directly due to the Home Rule Act, they are collaborating with Pirro's office to address public corruption. The investigation utilized various resources, including body camera footage and GPS records, revealing that some officers claimed overtime while traveling outside the area or on leave. The judge who issued the warrants serves in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia.