Cincinnati police officer charged with lying to federal agents, submitting false tax returns

CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati police officer was arrested today and charged with making a false statement to federal agents and filing false tax returns.

Quianna Campbell, 39, of Cincinnati, appeared in federal court on the charges at 3pm today, at which point the charges against her were unsealed.

According to court documents, the Cincinnati Police Department and IRS Criminal Investigation began investigating Campbell for various criminal offenses related to financial benefits she received as a result of her employment with the department.

Campbell has been employed with the Cincinnati Police Department for 11 years.

As part of an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering and other crimes associated with area nightclubs, investigators discovered text message conversation between Campbell and a nightclub owner.

Campbell allegedly responded to a text from the nightclub owner asking if an individual was an undercover officer. According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Campbell confirmed via text message that the person was an undercover officer and discussed with the club owner the possible reasons that the police department might investigate the nightclub.

When federal agents questioned Campbell about the text conversation, she allegedly lied to the agents. Campbell told the agents she would never confirm if an individual was a police officer because if they were working in an undercover capacity it would put them in danger.

Campbell also allegedly failed to report on her federal tax returns cash income that she earned working off-duty details.

According to police records, Campbell earned more than $81,000 total working off-duty details in 2015, 2016 and 2017. She did not report an accurate income when filing her taxes.

Making a false statement to a federal agent in punishable by up to five years in prison. Willfully filing a false tax return carries a potential maximum penalty of up to three years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth L. Parker is representing the United States in this case.

A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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