Three former police officers
have pleaded no contest to charges stemming from their alleged role in a
corruption case involving members of the Romulus Police Department.
On Tuesday, former detective
sergeant Richard Balzer pleaded no contest to one count of embezzlement by a
public official and misconduct in office, while former detectives Richard
Landry and Donald Hopkins plead no contest to one count of embezzlement by a
public official.
Charges, including conducting
criminal enterprise, criminal enterprise/conspiracy and uttering and publishing
and neglect of duty, were dismissed in return for their pleas.
A no contest plea isn’t an
admission of guilt.
According to the Wayne County
Prosecutor’s Office, restitution will be determined and the three men will lose
their certification to be employed as police officers. They will be sentenced
by Judge Michael Hathaway on Oct. 29.
A fourth defendant, former
police chief Michael St. Andre of Garden City, faces up to 20 years in prison
after pleading guilty to one count each of embezzlement by a public official,
misconduct in office and conducting a criminal enterprise. He will be in Judge
Hathaway’s courtroom on Friday, Oct. 17, for sentencing.
The Wayne County Prosecutor’s
Office dropped seven other felony charges in exchange for his plea. St. Andre
had been a 28-year veteran of the police department.
In all, six police officers and
St. Andre’s wife, Sandra Vlaz-St. Andre, were charged in the case, which
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 the Wayne County
Prosecutor’s Office, Michael 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.
The St. Andres also were
accused of using police forfeiture funds to both purchase and operate Always
Tan at 33712 Ford in Westland. In February, Vlaz-St. Andre was sentenced to
7-20 years in prison after being found guilty of acquiring and maintaining a
criminal enterprise and criminal enterprise conspiracy, filing fraudulent tax
returns and receiving and concealing stolen property.
In April, Droege was sentenced
to 18 months probation after being found guilty of misconduct in office and
neglect of duty. Channells also was found guilty of two counts of misconduct in
office and neglect of duty and sentenced to three years probation.
By Sue Mason
