Gerald Smith Jr., Mail Fraud & Falsification of Records, Ohio 2014

Gerald Smith Jr., former police chief of Kirtland Hills, was charged with defrauding the village out of at least $80,000 by making unauthorized purchases of clothing, tools and goods for his own personal use.

The two-count criminal information, filed in federal court, charges Smith, 57, of Kirtland, with one count of mail fraud and one count of destruction, alteration or falsification of records in a federal investigation.

According to the information, Smith made approximately $80,000 in personal expenditures using village credit cards between 2007 and 2014. Some of the items were used to partially furnish his Florida condominium. Items purchased include ceiling fans, plumbing supplies, vacuum cleaners, children’s lunch boxes and story books, clothing, televisions, book shelves, personal hygiene items, firearms, car repairs and more.

Smith concealed these purchases by making false entries on receipts to make it appear they were made by others or made for official police business. By spreading the purchases out among different funds, he prevented the village from readily noticing large amounts of expenditures from one particular fund, according to the information.

For example, Smith went on a hunting trip to Pennsylvania in 2007. While on vacation, he made the following purchases on a Kirtland Hills credit card: knife sharpening ($70), items at an Army Navy store ($269.96), and items at a sporting goods store, including Pro Hunter pants and jacket and a shirt ($209.97). He then falsely wrote on the receipt that the sporting goods clothing was SWAT clothing for a Kirtland Hills officer, according to the information.

Gerald Smith Jr., 57, of Kirtland, is charged with one count of mail fraud and one count of destruction, alteration or falsification of records in a federal investigation. The alleged crimes occurred in Ohio between 2007 and 2014. The outcome of the case, including any potential sentence, is not specified in the information provided.

Smith joined the Kirtland Hills police department in 1978 and served as chief from 1988 until April 4, 2014. In this capacity, Smith was authorized to reimburse officers for work-related expenses and use village funds to procure necessary supplies, including the use of several village credit cards or lines of credit, according to the information.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland office. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio is prosecuting the case.

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