A Washington, D.C., judge signed arrest warrants for six Metropolitan Police Department employees who face accusations of defrauding taxpayers of more than $440,000 in allegedly fraudulent overtime pay.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced the arrest warrant orders on Tuesday, saying they will lead to the arrest of six current and former police officers on charges of first-degree fraud, first-degree theft, forgery, and uttering. The six officers were Peter Sheldon, Frantz Fulcher, Thomas Krmenec, Bernadette Richardson, Dorrie Smith Cleere, and Johnnie Dyer.
“Every day, we rely on law enforcement to uphold the public’s trust,” Pirro said in a statement. “These MPD members betrayed that trust by scheming to collect unearned, undeserved income, costing the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. They will be held accountable, and my office remains focused on rooting out fraud and protecting the American taxpayer.”
Pirro’s office and district Attorney General Brian Schwalb allege that the six current and former officers stole $441,137.03 total from district taxpayers in the form of fraudulent overtime claims in 2024. Officials also allege that they manipulated agency records and forged signatures from their supervisors to approve their false claims and rake in extra cash on the taxpayers’ dime.
Fulcher allegedly logged the most fraudulent hours, at 1,861, amassing over $174,915 in fraudulent overtime pay, according to a release from Pirro’s office. Smith Cleere was allegedly paid $87,397 in fraudulent overtime pay; Krmenec, $89,478; Richardson, $43,351; Dyer, $27,721; and Sheldon, $18,272.
Schwalb said in a statement to multiple outlets that his office does not have the power to prosecute the six individuals directly because of the Home Rule Act, but is “able to protect taxpayer dollars and root out local public corruption” by partnering with Pirro.
“These six officers abused their positions of power, exploiting the District and the residents they took an oath to serve and protect,” Schwalb said. “No one is above the law, especially those trusted with enforcing it.”
When reached for comment by the Washington Examiner, the MPD refused, saying it “cannot comment on any ongoing investigations.”
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The case was investigated by the MPD using resources including body camera footage, GPS records, cellular location data, license plate reader records, and email communications data, according to Pirro’s office. Officials said the investigation revealed officers clocking overtime in instances when they were personally traveling outside the Beltway and while they were on leave.
The judge who signed the arrest warrants was a judge in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia.