While analyzing crime reports filed across Cleveland’s west side, Sgt. Shoulders determined that the same 2 criminals were likely responsible for a number of robberies being committed. Working with confidential informants and relying on intuition, years of investigative experience and evidence collected from the cases being investigated, Sgt. Shoulders and Detective Moore identified 2 suspects who they were confident were responsible for these crimes.

Upon learning that one of their suspects, 21-year old Brandon Tyrone Durrette, was allegedly trafficking in narcotics out of a home on W.97 St. in Cleveland, Sgt. Shoulders and Detective Moore solicited the help of veteran Second District Vice Detective Larry Smith. Working together, Sgt. Shoulders and Detectives Smith and Moore developed a drug trafficking case against Durrette. Upon securing the evidence they needed, the detectives arranged for the SWAT Team to take this violent felon into custody.

On Tuesday, May 5, Cleveland’s SWAT Team, under the direction of Lt. Ray Kaloczi and Sgt. Jose Delgado, descended on the W.97 St. home from which Durrette and his 14-year old accomplice were operating. As the SWAT stormed the property the suspects were attempting to flee in a beige minivan. Overwhelmed by the SWAT team’s show of force the pair surrendered and were taken into custody. Durrette was subsequently booked into county jail on drug trafficking charges and the 14-year old was booked into the Detention Center on an Aggravated Robbery warrant. At the time of his arrest, the 14-year old was awaiting trial in Juvenile Court on another Aggravated Robbery case. He had been released from juvenile custody and was supposed to be on home detention tracked by an ankle monitoring system. While awaiting trial he cut the ankle monitoring bracelet off and was capias from his scheduled court date.

While processing the W.97 St. scene of this arrest, Sgt. Shoulders and his squad discovered 2 key pieces of evidence that will ultimately doom Durrette and his accomplice. The first was the Drivers License of a woman from Avon, OH who was the victim of an Aggravated Robbery 2 days earlier in Lakewood. This evidence was turned over to Lakewood Detectives who were able to build a case against Durrette and charge him with Aggravated Robbery. The second was the vehicle that the pair was in when arrested.

Upon arresting Durrette and the 14-year old, Sgt. Shoulders and his squad immediately recognized the vehicle that they were in as being similar to one described by victims and captured on video in robberies committed in the First District. Detectives Marie Clark and Jean Norman from the First District Detective Unit were notified of this development and briefed on the investigation. They had been investigating a similar rash of aggravated robberies which had occurred in the First District and were on the verge of cracking those cases when Sgt. Shoulders notified them of his find. The discovery of the beige minivan turned out to be the final piece needed by Detectives Clark and Joyce to solve their cases. Armed with sufficient evidence against Durrette, Detectives Clark and Norman secured an arrest warrant for Aggravated Robbery in his name.

As a result of the collaboration between First and Second District detectives, a violent felon was removed from our streets and our residents and citizens can sleep more soundly. Our evidence will ultimately link these males to nearly two dozen Aggravated Robberies including the Tremont robberies.

On Friday, May 8, 2015, Durrette was formally charged with Aggravated Robbery. Working with Cuyahoga County prosecutors, we will seek charges against the 14-year old and will present a litany of charges to a Grand Jury against Durrette including additional counts of Aggravated Robbery, Felonious Assault, Drug Trafficking and Receiving Stolen Property.

Thomas A. Stacho
Commander – Second Police District
Cleveland Division of Police

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