Five officers face discipline in Stormy Daniels arrest

COLUMBUS – The fallout from last year’s arrest of adult film performer Stormy Daniels and two other women at a Columbus strip club continues to impact the Division of Police’s now-disbanded vice squad.

Five police officers – from a division commander down to two of the arresting detectives — have been departmentally charged this week in connection with the July 2018 arrests of Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, and two local women at Sirens Gentleman’s Club, Chief Thomas Quinlan said.

Quinlan says the officers, which also include a lieutenant and a sergeant, face a range of disciplinary actions such as reprimands, suspensions, demotions or firings for violating the Columbus Division of Police rules of conduct.

Documents released Thursday contain charges accusing one officer of giving tacit approval of the operation without giving “proper weight to the potential negative consequences.” Charges against some officers include not properly supervising subordinates and not ensuring subordinates properly documented the hours they worked.

Quinlan will recommend disciplinary actions to Director of Public Safety Ned Pettus Jr. following hearings with each officer. Pettus will make the final ruling on discipline except in the case of a reprimand, when the chief’s decision is final.

The officers were identified by WBNS 10-TV as Commander Terry Moore, Lt. Ron Kemmerling, Sgt. Scott Soha and detectives Steve Rosser and Whitney Lancaster.

Daniels was arrested while performing at the Northeast Side club, along with club employees Miranda Panda and Brittany Walters but charges against all three women were dismissed.

An investigation focused on allegations that officers who support Republican President Donald Trump conspired to retaliate against the porn actress over her claims she had sex with Trump before he became president.

An internal review found the arrest was improper but not planned or politically motivated.

Panda and Daniels are suing four police officers as a result of the arrests.

The vice unit was abolished in March amid the departmental probe and the indictment of a veteran officer who is accused of shooting a suspected prostitute to death and forcing women to perform sex acts to avoid being arrested.

Because of pending litigation and an ongoing federal criminal investigation, Quinlan says there would be no further information released internal investigation.