Former DPD Officer Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Extortion

Former DPD Officer Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Extortion

Former DPD Officer Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Extortion

U.S. Attorney’s Office
Eastern District of Michigan
18 May 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Former Detroit Police Department Officer Jamil Martin was sentenced yesterday to 20 months’ imprisonment for accepting a bribe from an owner of an automobile collision shop in exchange for referring stolen and abandoned vehicles recovered in the City of Detroit to that shop, United States Attorney Matthew Schneider announced today.

Schneider was joined in the announcement by Timothy Slater, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Patricia Armstrong, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Division and Chief James Craig, Detroit Police Department. The defendant was actively employed with the Detroit Police Department at the time of the offense.

Jamil Martin, age 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland. Martin previously pleaded guilty to one count of extortion.

According to the facts alleged in the indictment and further developed at the plea hearing and in sentencing briefing, Martin accepted cash payments from the owner/operator of a Detroit collision shop in exchange for referring abandoned vehicles to that shop for repairs.

This is the fourth defendant to have been sentenced as a result of this investigation. The others awaiting sentencing or a trial are:

Charles Wills, age 52, pleaded guilty to two counts of Extortion charged in a Superseding Indictment.
Deonne Dotson, age 45, is awaiting trial.

All of the Officers were charged with engaging in extortion for using their official positions as Police Officers to refer cars to certain collision shops in exchange for cash payments.

“The vast majority of Detroit Police Officers are courageous, dedicated public servants and should not be overshadowed by the acts of the few officers who accepted these bribes,” U.S. Attorney Schneider said.

"Certainly we appreciate the partnership of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Attorney’s Office. While the actions of this officer are troubling, we are relieved that this sentencing has brought some closure to a long standing issue that has plague this department." said Chief Craig.

“The actions of former DPD Officer Martin are disheartening to the many men and women in law enforcement, who work hard every day with integrity and commitment,” said Timothy R. Slater, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Detroit. “The FBI will continue to dedicate significant resources to the Detroit Police Department and all law enforcement partners toward investigating anyone who tarnishes their reputation by straying from his or her oath.”

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Police Department and the following agencies from the FBI Detroit Area Corruption Task Force: Michigan State Police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, Investigative Operation Division.

The FBI Detroit Area Corruption Task Force is comprised of personnel from the Detroit Division of the FBI; Michigan State Police; Michigan Department of Attorney General; Detroit Police Department; U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, Investigative Operations Division; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and

Fraud Investigations; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General; U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the Inspector General; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General; U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General; and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the Inspector General.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Resnick Cohen and Craig A. Weier.