Cleveland sergeant accused of contacting 2,300 women on city computers

A Cleveland police sergeant has been arrested on charges of using city property to contact more than 2,000 women.

Michael Rybarczyk was charged with three counts of unauthorized use of property, according to an indictment filed Monday in Cuyahoga County.

{mosads}Rybarczyk, a 29-year veteran of the department, used the law enforcement automated database system (LEADS) without the consent of system management to look up personal information and pictures of two women, the indictment states. The information “was not part of any official law enforcement investigation or inquiry,” the indictment said.

He also used the system to send social media messages to 2,300 women while on duty between June 2018 and January 2019, according to the indictment, which said the messages were not work related.

Rybarczyk was charged in February with 11 counts of soliciting prostitution, according to the Cleveland Division of Police Internal Affairs Unit, after which he was placed on restricted duty pending the adjudication of the charges. With the unauthorized use of property charges, which are felonies, he is now suspended without pay, according to NBC News.

Rybarczyk has pleaded not guilty to the prostitution charges and is set to be arraigned April 1 for the unauthorized use of property charges, NBC reported.