Ohio Deputy Faces Sentencing in Detention Case

A Portage County deputy is scheduled to be sentenced in the Medina County Court of Common Pleas on Thursday. The sentencing relates to the unlawful detention of a man who the officers believed was in the country illegally.

Details of the Incident

Deputy Daniel LaJack pleaded guilty in February to the reduced charge of attempted abduction. His co-defendant, Cleveland Police Detective Donald Kopchak, was found guilty by a jury on April 29, 2024, of two counts of abduction, one count of assault, and one count of ethnic intimidation.

The Confrontation at Buzzard’s Roost

The charges stem from an incident that occurred around 11:50 p.m. on April 26, 2024, at Buzzard’s Roost Bar in Hinckley Township, Ohio. Both men were off-duty at the time and identified themselves as federal law enforcement officers when they confronted a patron.

According to a release from the Medina County Prosecutor’s Office, the situation escalated, leading to the officers physically restraining and assaulting the victim while removing him from the tavern.

Statements from Body Camera Footage

Brunswick police body camera footage revealed one of the officers stating, “I’m not gonna be the guy on the news like, oh you’re on a f****ing security cam this guy ends up blowing the f***ing mall up tomorrow f**k no, don’t care,” and “Don’t care who I offend, dude.”

Footage also showed an officer pinning the victim to the ground. The Cleveland police officer told responding Brunswick police officers, “This guy’s not from this country,” and “So we started fighting with him or whatever, so here we are, he’s holding him down.”

Victim's Identity and Status

Brunswick police later determined that the victim, Bokredingil, is a refugee from Ethiopia who has resided in the United States for 14 years. He possesses a valid commercial driver’s license from Texas.

Aftermath and Investigations

The U.S. Attorney’s Office took over the case in May 2024. Cleveland city officials have acknowledged Kopchak’s guilty verdict and stated that the Internal Affairs Unit will complete its investigation, followed by a pre-disciplinary hearing.

Kopchak remains on unpaid leave and has not resigned. LaJack resigned from the Lake County Narcotics Agency in December 2024 before being hired by the Portage County Sheriff’s Office. The Portage County Sheriff’s Office has not yet responded to inquiries regarding LaJack’s current employment status. Kopchak is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2024.