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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Alex Harris and others have quoted State officials as saying Genesee County is one of the most corrupt areas in the state. There are also rumbles that the FBI and/or the US Attorney has participated in covering up the corruption.
Federal judge blasts Kilpatrick-era 'corruption' at sentencings
Paul Egan / The Detroit News
Detroit -- A federal judge today condemned the "culture of corruption" that permeated the Kwame Kilpatrick administration as he sentenced two former city officials caught up in the bribery scandal.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gerald E. Rosen sentenced former mayoral aide DeDan Milton to three years and six months in prison for taking bribes. He sentenced former Detroit police officer Jerry Rivers to one year in prison for acting as a conduit and taking kickbacks in connection with some of the bribes.
"The notion that in order to participate in civic projects you had to pay to play has been a cancer that has eaten away at not only the civic life of our community but has eaten away at the trust of the people," Rosen said in sentencing Rivers.
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"It's unfortunately reduced Detroit ... in the eyes of many people around the country."
Kilpatrick was indicted June 23 on 19 fraud and tax felonies related to his nonprofit organization, the Kilpatrick Civic Fund. Officials have not ruled out further charges against the former mayor, who is in state prison on a probation violation stemming from the text message scandal.
Rosen ordered Milton, 37, and Rivers, 39, to each serve two years of supervision after they are released. Both were allowed to remain free on bond until the Bureau of Prisons asks them to report to cells.
"You used your position of public responsibility and public trust for personal gain," Rosen told Milton. "In doing that, you have contributed to the sense of a pay-for-play scheme of corruption run by the former administration at all levels."
Milton said nothing before he was sentenced. But his lawyer, W. Otis Culpepper, said Milton has been cooperative and forthright in talking with the FBI and prosecutors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Chutkow said Milton hasn't provided much help, but if that changes prosecutors might come back to the judge and ask him to reduce the sentence.
Outside of court, Milton nodded when Culpepper was asked whether he thought the government was trying to squeeze Milton for information.
"Everybody presumes that Mr. Milton must be holding something back," Culpepper said. "Either you know or you don't know. He may not know what the government wants."
Milton admitted in February he took about $16,000 in kickbacks from the sale of two properties owned by the city of Detroit during the administration of former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
Three to four years was the recommended sentence for Milton under federal sentencing guidelines -- a set of calculations intended to assure similar offenders get like sentences for similar crimes. The guidelines are advisory only.
DeDan Milton's brother, Kandia, 38, who served Kilpatrick as chief of staff and deputy mayor, is to be sentenced in August for bribery.
Chutkow said prosecutors asked for a break for Rivers because information he gave led to the conviction of the two Milton brothers. He asked for a sentence of 15-18 months for Rivers, but Rosen agreed to pleas from Rivers' attorney Sheldon Halpern to go below that range.
"I would like to apologize for the pain that I've cause my family and my friends," Rivers said in court.
Rosen said Rivers was "in part seduced by the power and the corruption" of the Kilpatrick administration. "You did get seduced by it and you somehow lost your way from what had been an otherwise exemplary life."
The judge added: "I often think of the way the city was when I was growing up. Detroit was a unique and wonderful community to grow up in and I hope one day it will be again."
pegan@detnews.com (313) 222-2069 |
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Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:55 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| Back when Sharp was the mayor, I was told by a black lady that it was common knowledge in the black community that he was running the drug operations in Flint for Coleman Young. |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:13 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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quote:
Dave Starr schreef:
Back when Sharp was the mayor, I was told by a black lady that it was common knowledge in the black community that he was running the drug operations in Flint for Coleman Young.
After he left office, he was the representative of City Management/waste company which was run by Tony Soave, an alleged mob guy. Soave was linked to the Detroit mafia when a rival waste company had their trucks burned.
He almost got a nearly million dollar contract to remove compost on Carpenter rd as an emergency order. The bid went for under $100,000 when council denied the emergency. That was under Stanley. |
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Thu Jul 01, 2010 6:13 pm |
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Adam
F L I N T O I D
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Wed Jul 07, 2010 6:32 am |
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