Aug. 1 (UPI) — The Columbus, Ohio, Police Department filed departmental charges against five officers in connection to their involvement with the arrest of Stormy Daniels last year.
The department announced the disciplinary action Wednesday and provided documentation of the details to the Columbus Dispatch on Thursday.
The five officers were involved with an operation at the Sirens Gentleman’s Club on July 11, 2018, in which they arrested Daniels, born Stephanie Clifford, and two other women who worked at the club. Police arrested her for allegedly allowing a patron to touch her.
The charges were dismissed because as a guest performer of the club, the Ohio law didn’t apply to her.
The officers facing discipline related to the operation include:
— Cmdr. Terry Moore, for approving the operation but not giving “proper weight to the potential negative consequences” nor properly supervising his subordinates.
— Lt. Ron Kemmerling, for allowing his subordinates to improperly document info about the operation and their hours worked. He also faces departmental charges for approving the $760 spent by four officers working undercover at the club on alcohol and lap dances.
— Sgt. Scott Soha, for failing to make sure his subordinates were following proper investigatory procedure.
— Officer Steven Rosser, for improperly arresting and interviewing Daniels, failing to submit accurate timecards and failing to properly document the investigation. Rosser also is accused of lying to internal affairs officials regarding the nature of the operation.
— Officer Whitney Lancaster, for improperly arresting Daniels, failing to follow proper investigatory procedure, failing to submit accurate timecards and failing to stop a potential narcotics transaction.
Daniels filed a lawsuit in January against the police department, accusing them of targeting her because the officers were supporters of President Donald Trump, whom she said she had an affair with after he was married to first lady Melania Trump.
