A former 911 dispatcher in northern Ohio faces felony charges after authorities say he improperly accessed the statewide Ohio Law Enforcement Automated Data System, known as LEADS, for personal reasons.
Greggory D. Byrd, 37, of Olmsted Township, surrendered to the Lorain County Jail after a Lorain County grand jury indicted him on one count of unauthorized use of property involving Ohio LEADS. The charge is a fifth-degree felony.
According to the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, Byrd was working the sheriff’s dispatch position when he used his computer terminal to run an inquiry on a woman with whom he shares a child. The search was unrelated to any law enforcement investigation or official purpose. An anonymous source reported the violation.
Sheriff’s personnel contacted Lorain County 911 Director Kurt Scholl on January 22 to confirm the issue. Detectives then investigated, concluded a criminal violation occurred, and forwarded the case to Lorain County Prosecutor Tony Cillo for grand jury review.
Lorain County Sheriff Jack Hall said in a statement, “We take the integrity of all law enforcement databases very seriously due to the sensitivity of records contained in them. The fact that an employee who is entrusted with protecting this data violated the public trust for his own personal use is deeply disturbing.”
Byrd has posted a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear for arraignment on March 26 in Lorain County Common Pleas Court before Judge Melissa Kobasher. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Ohio LEADS is the statewide automated database used by law enforcement agencies across Ohio, including in south central counties. This case serves as a reminder of the strict protocols governing access to such sensitive systems.
