Ex-officer sentenced in bar case

7/26/2001

A former Toledo police sergeant was fined $5,000 yesterday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court for hiding his ownership of a Detroit Avenue nightclub.

Glenn Hall, who resigned from the police department last week, in addition was sentenced by Judge Judith Lanzinger to five years of community control for tampering with records, a felony offense.

Hall faced one to five years in prison, but the judge said it was important to her that no one was physically hurt by his actions. “You have embarrassed the department and harmed yourself and your family,” Judge Lanzinger said.

Hall apologized for his actions and for any embarrassment he caused the police department.

The judge found Hall guilty of the charge last month. A jury found his wife, Geizle Spearman, guilty of tampering with records and falsification.

Yesterday, Judge Lanzinger fined Spearman $1,000 and placed her on community control for three years. The judge said she found Spearman to be less culpable in the case.

J. Christopher Anderson, an assistant county prosecutor, said during the trial that Hall lied on documents to hide his ownership of Mr. J's nightclub, 1941 North Detroit Ave., because it violated a police department policy.

The club's previous name was Paradise 2000.

John Potts, Spearman's attorney, said at the trial that Hall owned the building, but Spearman owned the nightclub, so nothing was improper.

Mr. Anderson, however, said Hall and Spearman signed affidavits with the Ohio Department of Commerce, which regulates liquor permits, that Hall would have no ownership interest in the nightclub.