Conley James Thomas Day
Sheriff Eric Watson and Interim Cleveland Police Chief Mark Gibson jointly announced on Thursday the successful culmination of an investigation that resulted in the arrest of a man for posing as a law enforcement officer.
Charges were filed in General Sessions Court by both agencies for Conley James Thomas Day, 21, alleging that at two locations he falsely identified himself as an agent of the 10th Judicial District Drug Task Force.
It is alleged that Day went to a home on Hiwassee Avenue on Aug.
23, to conduct “a pill count” while brandishing a badge and a weapon. The Cleveland Police Department was contacted by the female victim who was home and had her wrists tied with zip ties while the residence was searched for prescription medications. She reported in excess of 120 pills were taken from two medicine bottles before he hurriedly left in a vehicle.
Patrol deputies for the sheriff’s office filed a report on Tuesday, that was similar to the CPD incident. A man claiming affiliation with the DTF and the CPD and possession of a search warrant went through a couple’s medication bottles in their home on Lowery Street. The victims told him they had depleted their most recent prescriptions and he left.
Proactive work by the criminal investigation sections of both agencies led to the identification of Day as a possible suspect. Detectives were able to recover the weapon that had the appearance of a handgun but was not real.
Cleveland detectives have charged Day with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, theft under $500, and criminal impersonation of a police officer.
BCSO detectives added charges of aggravated kidnapping and criminal impersonation of an officer.
Day, of Northwest 19th Street, is being held in the Bradley County Jail in lieu of bond pending his next appearance in court.
Sheriff Watson and Chief Gibson said criminal activity has no jurisdictional boundaries. Both officials acknowledged the high level of cooperation that currently exists between their respective agencies.
“We look forward to the closer side-by-side working relationship we have developed with all of the officers, detectives and administration of the Cleveland Police Department and the new opportunities for solving crime we will have in the future,” Sheriff Watson said.