MPD officer arrested, significant 'criminal misconduct' allegations

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee police officer has been arrested following allegations of criminal misconduct, the Milwaukee Police Department announced on Friday, March 14. 

A criminal complaint associated with the case identifies the officer as 29-year-old Juwon Madlock, who had nearly 10 years of service with the department. He has since resigned.

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MPD officer arrested 

What we know:

The Milwaukee Police Department said it recently became aware of significant allegations of criminal misconduct involving one of its members. As a result, the MPD Internal Affairs Division, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, initiated an investigation.

According to the criminal complaint, the FBI and its law enforcement partners were conducting a criminal investigation into convicted felon Cobie Hannah – who was a known member of the "Burleigh Zoo Family" gang – for firearm offenses. As part of that probe, they searched Hannah's electronic devices. The complaint said the review "uncovered text messages" between Hannah and Madlock that "reflected criminal misconduct" by the officer.

Law enforcement later got permission to search Madlock's home, vehicle and phones for additional evidence. At Madlock's home, investigators recovered a gun equipped with a conversion device that "rendered the weapon a machinegun [sic] under federal law," per the complaint. Madlock spoke with federal agents and admitted the gun was his.

What's next:

This is an open and ongoing investigation led by the FBI. MPD said it is acting in full cooperation with the agency.

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What they're saying:

In a statement, MPD said:

"Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman expects all members, sworn and civilian, to demonstrate the highest ethical standards in the performance of their duties and was extremely disappointed to learn about the misconduct in this case. Chief Norman wants to remind the public that everyone is afforded the right of due process under the law, and as such, are innocent until proven guilty."

Greenfield search

Dig deeper:

On Feb. 13, officers searched Hannah's home in Greenfield, found the felon and recovered multiple guns, gun boxes and a loaded magazine for an AR-15-style firearm. The complaint states they also found an SUV that had been reported stolen out of Hammond, Indiana in 2024.

Law enforcement also recovered a cellphone from the Greenfield residence. When investigators reviewed the contents of the phone, they found a text message thread between Hannah and a contact name of "Wuan." Investigators identified the owner of the phone number as Juwon Madlock.

According to the criminal complaint, the texts between Hannah and Madlock discussed "the possibility that 'the feds' may be involved in certain investigations." The court filings also showed Madlock offered Hannah ammunition, the use of one of his firearms, addresses of suspected rivals of a Milwaukee street gang, the exchange of fake identification cards and fraudulent license plates. He also identified to Hannah "specific members of the Milwaukee Police Department engaged in various enforcement actions."

Madlock interviewed

What they're saying:

On March 12, Madlock was asked to report to the MPD Internal Affairs Division. He was interviewed and asked about the texts in which Madlock provided Hannah with the addresses of the felon's suspected rivals. The complaint said Madlock acknowledged when he sent those texts that he knew "(the felon) intended to hurt his rivals," but claimed he thought Hannah would "merely beat them up."

After the interview began, law enforcement recovered a handgun affixed with a machine gun conversion device. The complaint states Madlock acknowledged the gun was his when investigators showed him a picture of the weapon, but claimed it "did not have a conversion device on it when he bought it. He also said he "ddid not know it had a conversation device on it."

According to the complaint, Madlock "denied providing (the felon) with sensitive information" and said "(the felon) was a source of information for him, in his capacity as a police officer." Interviewers asked Madlock if he had formally signed Hannah up as a confidential source; he had not. The complaint also said Madlock could not show investigators instances in which he communicated information given to him from Hannah as a confidential source.