Two defendants in a Romulus
police corruption case will find out their sentences after being found guilty
by a Wayne County Circuit Court jury last Friday.
Former Romulus police detective
Larry Droege was found guilty of misconduct in office and neglect of duty, and
Jeremy Channells was found guilty of two counts of misconduct in office and
neglect of duty. They could face sentences of up to five years in prison when
they are sentenced on March 31 by Circuit Court Judge Michael Hathaway.
The two men are the latest
defendants to be found guilty in the case. Last month, Sandra Vlaz-St. Andre,
the wife of former Romulus police chief Michael St. Andre, was sentenced to
7-20 years for acquiring and maintaining a criminal enterprise, criminal
enterprise conspiracy, failure to file taxes by filing a false return and
receiving and concealing stolen property over $20,000.
In addition to the St. Andres,
Droege and Channells, former detective sergeant Richard Balzer and former
detectives Richard Landry and Donald Hopkins were charged in the case that
stemmed from an investigation by the Michigan State Police into allegations of
misconduct, corruption and embezzlement of drug forfeiture funds by members of
the Romulus Police Department’s Special Investigation Unit.
According to a Wayne County
Prosecutor’s Office press release, St. Andre directed a probe of liquor license
violations, prostitution and narcotics trafficking at the Landing Strip Bar in
Romulus and Subi’s Place in Southgate, but during the investigation officers
embezzled drug forfeiture money, solicited prostitutes and made false police
reports.
Still awaiting trial are
Michael St. Andre, Hopkins, Blazer and Landry.
St. Andre, a 28-year veteran of
the police department, has been charged with conducting a criminal enterprise,
acquiring/maintaining criminal enterprise, criminal enterprise conspiracy,
embezzlement by public official over $50, uttering and publishing, misconduct
in office, failure to file/false return, obstruction of justice,
witness-bribery/intimidating/interfering in a case and receiving and concealing
stolen property over $20,000.
Balzar and Landry have been
charged with conducting criminal enterprise, criminal enterprise/conspiracy,
embezzlement by public official over $50, uttering and publishing, misconduct
in office and neglect of duty, while Hopkins has been charged with all but the
neglect of duty charge.
Their trials have been
scheduled for July 7, and if convicted, they could face up to 20 years in
prison.