A former Hallandale Beach officer has been jailed on the charge he illegally pawned police guns and other equipment that belonged to the force, police said.
Yan Kleyman, 33, made 15 pawn shop transactions between March 11, 2017, and Aug. 6, 2018, selling police weapons and equipment that included a semi-automatic rifle, a Glock pistol and several laser sights, according to his arrest report. Kleyman’s thumbprint was on each of the pawn transaction documents, investigators said.
He turned himself in to the jail Friday to face the charge of dealing in stolen property, Hallandale Beach Police Chief Sonia Quinones said in a video posted to Facebook. The thefts were discovered during an internal audit of police equipment.
“He is no longer a member of our police department,” she said. “The police department’s internal system of checks and balances works.”
She said she wanted to reassure the public of the department’s commitment to integrity.
“This type of behavior will never be tolerated,” she said. “Mr. Kleyman’s alleged actions are not reflective of the dedicated men and women of this agency who serve as guardians to our city.”
Quinones said Kleyman was hired in November 2011 but did not mention his job title. Broward court records show Kleyman, working as an officer, issued several traffic citations through the years, among the most recent happening early last year.
Kleyman’s attorney, Richard Cooper, disputed the police chief’s characterization of the case. He said the department knew about his gambling addiction and mental health issues. He said Kleyman resigned.
“While my client looks forward to resolving this matter in court, Quinones’ statement is farcical including the fact that he was immediately terminated,” Cooper said in a statement. “Kleyman submitted his resignation this week and was still listed on the roster as late as Thursday.”
After being jailed, Kleyman was released on a $3,500 bond, jail records show.
Before joining Hallandale Beach police, Kleyman had been fired from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department in April 2009 during a probationary period fresh out of the police academy.
Internal affairs investigators determined a fellow rookie officer pointed a gun at him during orientation training. Kleyman was let go after his version of the incident didn’t match up with that of 13 officers interviewed in the case. The other officer was fired, too.
wkroustan@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4303 or Twitter @WayneRoustan
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