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Home > Blogs > Dayton Courts: Legal and crime news > Archives > 2010 > February > 03 > Entry
Dayton police officer pleads guilty to charges involving illegal sale of impounded cars
DAYTON — A former Dayton police officer accused of illegally selling impounded cars, pleaded guilty to nine felonies on Wednesday, Feb. 3, and agreed to surrender his peace officer certification.
Phillip Brooks Sr., 44, appeared before Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Timothy O’Connell, who set sentencing for March 8.
This is the second time this week that a former Dayton officer has appeared in common pleas court. On Monday, Judge Connie S. Price sentenced Alan Parker to 30 days in jail. Parker pleaded guilty Jan. 4 to two counts of unauthorized use of the “LEADS” confidential database, plus single counts of complicity to commit receiving stolen property and theft in office.
Under the agreement, Brooks pleaded guilty to six counts of tampering with government records, all third-degree felonies, from his original May 21 indictment. Sixteen other counts were dismissed.
Brooks also pleaded guilty to all three counts from his Sept. 25 re-indictment: two counts of theft in office and one count of attempt to commit theft in office, all fifth-degree felonies.
Under Ohio law, third-degree felonies are punishable by up to five years in prison. Fifth-degree felonies are punishable by up to 12 months in prison.
O’Connell told Brooks that he faced up to 33 years in prison, but that he also could be eligible for probation.
Assistant county prosecutor Ward Barrentine told O’Connell that prosecutors and defense attorneys had no agreement on sentencing, leaving it to O’Connell’s discretion.
Brooks will be ordered to pay restitution to the victims, Barrentine said.
Brooks maintained his innocence during an interview with the Dayton Daily News on May 22 stating “I’m not guilty” and “I put this in God’s hands and let my attorney do what he does best.”
Brooks had been suspended without pay since April 13.
Brooks allegedly used a confidential police database to determine the owner of vehicles that had been towed or impounded, according to the county prosecutor’s office. Brooks then used that information to forge a fake bill of sale and had a new title issued in his name.
He would then sell the vehicles. There is no evidence other officers were involved, Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl said in May.
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