The FBI has executed a search warrant on Sheriff David Clarke’s email, according to court documents released Friday.

The warrant was requested after federal authorities launched an investigation into an incident in which Clarke is believed to have targetted a man he encountered during a flight from Dallas to Detroit.

Clarke encountered Dan Black shortly after boarding the airplane in Dallas in January of last year. Black asked if Clarke was the notorious sheriff, which Clarke explained he was. Black moved towards the back of the plane shaking his head. Clarke asked Black if he had a problem and Black shook his head no. There was no further interaction on the plane. But after the two came off the plane, Black was taken into custody by six deputies waiting at the gate for him.

According to the search warrant, Black filed a complaint against the now-former Sheriff Clarke, claiming the department unlawfully detained him after their interaction on the plane.

Federal agents are now searching Clarke’s Google email address dclarke.cowboy@gmail.com and the sheriff’s department for text messages exchanged. The court documents allege that Clarke instructed his deputies to go after Black.

Robert Snell of the Detroit News discovered the court filings in the clerk’s office Friday.

SCOOP: FBI investigating former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, a Donald Trump surrogate, according to search warrant affidavit I just stumbled upon. Heads up @journalsentinel @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/13nZkpA6TW — Robert Snell (@robertsnellnews) December 29, 2017

Man alleged he was unlawfully detained after talking to Sheriff David Clarke. Here's narrative from FBI search warrant affidavit pic.twitter.com/L9JXwspCFj — Robert Snell (@robertsnellnews) December 29, 2017

Here's a bit about the law at issue in the Sheriff David Clarke investigation pic.twitter.com/1jQFuWzEgS — Robert Snell (@robertsnellnews) December 29, 2017

ShareTweet