Former Hallandale Beach officer going to jail for pawning police property for cash

HALLANDALE BEACH – A Hallandale Beach police officer’s gambling habit got so out of hand that he stole from his department and pawned police property for cash, his defense lawyer said.

For his crime, Yan Kleyman, 33, will spend 90 days in jail and lose his state law enforcement certification under the terms of a plea bargain negotiated with state prosecutors.

The Russian-born Kleyman on Tuesday pleaded no contest to a single felony count of dealing in stolen property for pawning two laser speed detectors, his lawyer Richard Cooper said.

“He’s on the path to healing his personal issues,” Cooper said. “He took responsibility today for his actions and I think he will be a better person for it.”

Kleyman was originally charged with 34 counts for allegedly pawning stolen police weapons, including a a semi-automatic rifle. A Glock pistol that he personally owned was among the original charges, Cooper said.

“The firearms were recovered but two of the laser sights were sold on eBay after Kleyman failed to make payments on time,” said Paula McMahon, spokeswoman for the State Attorney’s Office.

Hallandale Beach police discovered the thefts during an internal audit of department equipment.

“This is someone who was failed by his department,” Cooper said. “They knew for years about his gambling habit.” Kleyman regularly borrowed money from fellow cops, Cooper said.

The police department facilitated the loans, Cooper said, by deducting the amounts borrowed from Kleyman’s paychecks to pay back the officers who had loaned Kleyman money. “It’s all documented,” he said.

Hallandale Beach police did not respond to emails and voicemails requesting comment for this article.

An arrest report shows Kleyman made 15 pawnshop transaction from March 11, 2017 to Aug. 6, 2018.

“Kleyman’s thumb print was on each of the pawn transaction documents,” McMahon said in an emailed statement.

Kleyman, who lives in Hollywood, joined the force in November 2011 and resigned shortly after his Feb. 15 arrest. He had been fired from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department in 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 Kleyman 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.

Kleyman must surrender to the Broward County jail on June 3 to begin his 90-day sentence, Broward Circuit Court Judge Mariya Weekes ordered.