https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...towing-scandal
Bet they were towing a lot of newer Dodges.
Im amazed it took this long to realize B@T was crooked
my car was stolen in Detroit, Recovered on wayne state campus, the pictures wayne state police took did not match the condition of the car when I picked it up from B&T, Oh and B&T didnt notify me that the car was recovered or notify the police they had it ,
friday tigers game, got drunk buddy drove me home
car stolen and recovered sometime between friday night and Saturday morning (found parked on sidewalk ) towed as illegally parked
i went to get car Saturday about noon, missing!!! file report with police
30 days later B&T send me a intent to auction notice, they never filed the paper work with police about the car, they wanted to bill me 1500 for towing and storage, detroit police told me i had to pay, state police informed B&T they were in possession of stolen property
The thing I can't understand is that other people had to know about this. People in this guys department had to be looking the other way. There is no way that this al happened in a bubble.
-Geoff
People don't talk sometimes because they're just plain scared.
cliff notes for those that did not read the piece.... "SHE" was indited for taking a bribe ($3,000) from a individual that had several towing company s and was given "first dibs" because of it....
noting at all about the stolen car ring...
https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/03/2...-vehicles.html
By Justine Lofton | jlofton@mlive.com
DETROIT – Two men are facing charges in an alleged chop shop ring that involved crushing stolen vehicles, authorities announced.
Calvin Lamont Pickett Jr., 43, of Bloomfield Hills, and Fadi Abi-Fakhreddine, 58, of Ypsilanti, are each charged with one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, 12 counts of intent to pass a false title, and 12 counts of receiving and concealing a motor vehicle, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office announced.
The case began with a report of a stolen vehicle on Nov. 25, 2019, the release said. A victim reported to Detroit Police that his vehicle had been stolen from a residence in the 13800 block of Mecca Street.
An investigation by the Detroit Auto Theft Unit led to a chop shop in the 8850 block of Shaefer Highway in Detroit. During a raid on March 2, officers discovered fraudulent paperwork that was being used to scrap stolen vehicles. Both defendants were arrested at the scene, the release said.
It is alleged that the defendants used fraudulent paperwork to cover up the theft and crushing of stolen vehicles, the release said.
Both defendants were arraigned on Thursday, March 17, and given a $30,000 personal bond, the release said. The probable cause conference is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on March 29 and the preliminary examination is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. on April 5, both before Judge Roberta Archer.
https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/03/p...rts-store.html
By Justine Lofton | jlofton@mlive.com
DETROIT – Police discovered a criminal enterprise worth millions of dollars at a used auto parts store in Detroit on Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
Detroit police officers arrested two people in connection with the illegal car crushing operation and marijuana grow facility discovered at Auto Planet on Schafer Highway, FOX 2 Detroit reports. The suspects were allegedly using fraudulent paperwork to cover up that they were crushing hundreds of stolen vehicles. Hundreds of marijuana plants were also discovered inside one of the buildings, WDIV Local 4 reports.
The car crusher and stolen vehicles on site were seized as evidence, WDIV reports. The plants will also be seized.
Because the operation involves millions of dollars, the suspects will be charged with operating a criminal enterprise, WDIV reports.
https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...rs-police-say/
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...l/70006940007/
Corrupt Detroit cop in bribery scandal sentenced to federal prison
Robert Snell
The Detroit News
A former Detroit Police officer who extorted bribes from a towing contractor before being caught in an FBI sting was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison Tuesday, the stiffest punishment to date for someone convicted in an ongoing public corruption scandal.
Daniel Vickers, 56, of Livonia was ordered to serve 27 months in federal prison after admitting he received more than $3,400 in bribes from February-June 2018 from an unidentified towing contractor who was working undercover for the FBI. Vickers has admitted conspiring with his childhood friend, former Detroit Police Lt. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, to accept money and other valuable items in exchange for favoring a towing contractor. The bribes included cash, automobiles, auto repair and other illegal benefits.
Vickers is the latest public official in Metro Detroit sentenced in relation to a years-long federal assault on corruption that has led to charges against more than 110 people.
“Any police officer who chooses the path of corruption should understand that we will not tolerate unethical conduct from our public officials at any level," U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said in a statement.
Prosecutors sought a 37-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Laurie Michelson for Vickers' role in an ongoing federal corruption investigation, "Operation Northern Hook," targeting bribery and wrongdoing within the municipal towing operations. So far, the operation has led to charges against six people, sent former Detroit City Councilman André Spivey to federal prison for two years, implicated two other councilmembers and linked Mayor Mike Duggan to a chain of events that outed a confidential FBI informant.
Vickers' lawyer Vincent Toussaint pushed for a shorter sentence, arguing his client had an unblemished law enforcement career for more than 30 years before being charged in the bribery scandal.
"Mr. Vickers has accepted responsibility for his actions, has been introspective about his criminal activity and has shown genuine remorse for his actions," Toussaint wrote in a sentencing memorandum. "He has a supportive network of family members and friends who have provided support throughout his life. He will need this love and support to live a productive life."
The indictment cites text messages, hints at secretly recorded conversations during an undercover investigation and describes a multi-year conspiracy that portrays Vickers and Kennedy as greedy co-conspirators with their hands out, allegedly demanding cash and competing for bribes both big and small, from $280 to repair a broken vehicle window, to a free BMW.
Prosecutors said Kennedy received $14,950 during the conspiracy.
Kennedy, 57, who was in charge of rooting out department misconduct, pleaded guilty to pocketing bribes in August and is awaiting a possible prison sentence while another former Detroit Police officer, Alonzo Jones, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison in June.
Prosecutors allege Kennedy and Vickers conspired to accept bribes in exchange for steering towing work to an unidentified towing company. The move violated city towing rules and an ordinance that bars companies from receiving referrals if they are not included in the department’s towing rotation.
Amid a series of alleged payoffs, the towing company official, listed in the indictment as "Tower A," sought assurances that the illegal benefits would result in favored treatment from police officials, prosecutors contend.
In response, the government alleges, Vickers told Tower A that Vickers was Kennedy's alleged "go-between," and that Kennedy would have told Vickers if Tower A had any problems with the police department.
In November 2017, Vickers reassured the towing official that he did not have to worry about the police department’s integrity unit investigating the company, the government alleged.
The towing official said he would give Kennedy and Vickers free cars.
“Yeah, if I know I’m good, if I know I’m good, I’m gonna line them up,” the towing figure said. “I got two, two for (Kennedy’s) kids and the one for you. He's got a Chrysler 200, the Fusion, and the Beamer.”
Three months later, in January 2018, Vickers reassured the towing official. Vickers told the tower he "ain't got no problems," according to the indictment.
Vickers could be greedy, needy and impatient when demanding bribes, according to the indictment. He asked the towing official for free carpet on March 1, 2018, the government alleged.
"I really want to get on this carpet thing, because my … even my wife's f------ with me a little bit about that," Vickers said.
"Oh, the carpet?" the tower said. "I'm gonna get the carpet handled right now. I'll get it handled. You don't gotta talk to no one, or whatever, just pick out the carpet you want, take a picture of it, and then I'll handle it from there. You know how many square footage and all that you need …"
Three days later, carpet installation was finalized, and Vickers confirmed he would help steer work to the towing figure's company, according to the government.
"… I will do whatever I can to return the favor," Vickers said. "That's why I call u GODFATHER."
Yeah, 2 years and 15 months - That isn't even a slap on the wrist in my eyes for the grief and money they have caused everyone....They are cops and should get life...
Just my .02....grr
I agree, they should be held to a higher standard. They're the ones enforcing law, so they should have higher punishments for breaking the law. After all the dust settled they are only ruining their own neighborhood and wonder why no one comes to spend money in Detroit.Quote:
Originally Posted by grr456
I still think the murder of Collin Rose (WSU Officer) was connected to the car theft ring downtown.
I believe he stumbled into something he was not suppose to see/know about and they killed him over it.
Detroit PD is so dirty and the culture of corruption is so deep that it will never change.