Cleveland detective found guilty of warning raid target

CLEVELAND (AP) — A Cleveland police detective faces up to four years in prison for warning a gas station owner about a future raid on his business for food stamp fraud.

Northeast Ohio Media Group reports 50-year-old John Hall was found guilty of obstructing justice and tampering with evidence Tuesday. A jury acquitted Hall of bribery and intimidating a witness charges.

Prosecutors say Hall used a mutual acquaintance to relay word of an impending raid to Salti Salti, owner of Superior Sunoco.

They say Hall became friendly with Salti’s brother-in-law, a local market owner, and he notified the family of the bust.

Hall, a veteran of the force for about 20 years, was characterized by prosecutors as a “corrupt and dirty cop” during the trial’s closing arguments.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 23.