Deputy Anthony Binion [Wayne County Sheriff Department]. Currently under investigation for pulling his duty gun out during an altercation at a bar, while he was with another man's wife.
Police report filed by the husband of Deputy Binion's female friend, who claims that Binion pulled out his gun during the altercation.
On September 11, 2010 Deputy Anthony Binion went out to a bar in Detroit with a female friend, [who is married].
The husband of the woman who Deputy Binion was with, spotted her husband as they walked out of the bar. The stories over what happened next differ...
According to Deputy Binion, he and his female friend were just talking. When his friend spotted her husband, she remarked, "Oh God, there's my husband". The husband grabbed the woman and told her, "Get your ass in the car". Deputy Binion said he told the husband, "Don't grab her". The husband reportedly told Deputy Binion, "You're a dead mother f***er".
According to the husband of Deputy Binion's female friend: He claims that he saw Deputy Binion and his wife kissing. Binion threatened to kill him and showed him his gun.
Deputy Binion maintains that he did have his gun on him that night, but that he did not brandish it.
Deputy Binion has been stripped of his badge and his gun, during the Wayne County Sheriff Department's investigation of the altercation.
Deputy Binion is still working at the Wayne County jail, while the matter is under investigation.
Fourteen years ago, Deputy Binion had been accused of shooting someone. He had been cleared of all charges when he was linked to that murder.
It's been a tough news cycle for the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, where reports indicate two deputies face accusations in separate off-duty incidents involving guns, women and poor judgment. First up, Channel 7 reports deputy Roderick Vincent Calhoun has been suspended and faces criminal charges after he allegedly assaulted a female relative at gunpoint. WXYZ.com, Sept. 17: Police say Calhoun assaulted a 24-year-old female relative who lives in the same Livonia house that he does. Investigators say he forced the woman to perform multiple sex acts at gunpoint. He is also accused of beating the woman with a belt and then choking her. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy says "These are very serious charges and we will treat the prosecution of Roderick Calhoun just as we would any other defendant." Calhoun is being held without bond on four counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, four counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, felonious assault and felony firearms possession. Meanwhile, Fox 2 reports deputy Anthony Binion has been asked to turn in his gun after he allegedly pulled it outside a local bar on ladies' night. According to a police report filed last week, a man says Binion was making out with his wife and threatened to kill him when confronted.
Binion denies the husband's account and continues to work at the county jail as authorities investigate.
A Wayne County Sheriff’s deputy has been stripped of his badge and gun for what he’s accused of doing off-duty. That deputy reportedly pulled his gun on a guy at a bar off the clock, and it’s not the first time he’s been investigated.
"She walked down the street. We were talking on the fence like that, and she looked up and she said, `Oh God, there’s my husband,’ said Wayne County Deputy Anthony Binion. It was a night Binion will never forget; an altercation that has Detroit Police investigating.
"I had a weapon, but I didn't brandish it,’ Binion said. He’s had to turn over his gun and badge for the time being. According to a police report, he was at ladies’ night at a downtown bar about a week ago, but when the lady friend he was with saw her husband show up things got downright ugly. "He said get your (expletive) in the car, just like that," said Binion. "I said, `Don't grab her.’’ "He turned around at me and looked and said, `You're a dead (expletive).’ That's exactly what happened,’ he added. The husband tells a different story to cops, claiming Binion and his wife were kissing, and then Binion threatened to kill him and even showed his gun. All three separated without things going any further. A 26 year veteran, Binion is still working the jail. His lady friend is also a county employee. Earlier in his career, the deputy was cleared of all charges after being linked to a murder. "This is the second time I've been through this. I was accused 14 years ago of shooting somebody,’ Binion said. We reached the husband by phone, but he told us no comment and then hung up.
DEPUTY STEVEN FRESORGER, SD: Misuse of LEIN system, September 06 - 07, 2010.
On September 6th and September 7th, Deputy Fresorger searched four different times for Wakeman's name on the Sheriff Department LEIN system. At the time, Wakeman was dating Fresorger's ex-girlfriend. In June 2011, criminal charges were filed against Deputy Fresorger for his missue of the LEIN system. Fresorger faces five counts of unlawfully using the LEIN system; felony charge for using a computer to commit a crime; and five misdemeanor charges for forgery of a motor vehicle certificate. To date, those criminal charges are still pending. In March 2012, Fresorger's attorney asked the court to drop the felony criminal charges against the Deputy.
Elizabeth Canfield, a state police analyst of LEIN, testified that Deputy Fresorger searched for Wakeman's name four times on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7 2010, on the county's LEIN system.
Fresorger’s ex-girlfriend, Tracy Moore, testified that she dated Wakeman in 2010.
SAGINAW, MI — The attorney for a former Saginaw County sheriff's deputy Monday asked a judge to dismiss charges that he improperly used a statewide computerized information system for personal use. Steven T. Fresorger, 41, appeared along with his attorney, James F. Piazza, before Saginaw County Circuit Judge James T. Borchard, who heard arguments on Piazza's motion to “quash,” or dismiss, the six felonies that Fresorger faces. The Saginaw Township resident is charged with five felony counts of impermissible use of personal information he obtained through the Law Enforcement Information Network, or LEIN, five misdemeanor counts of unauthorized disclosure of information from LEIN, and one felony count of using computers to commit a crime. Piazza argued that testimony from Fresorger's preliminary hearing in August did not indicate that he accessed information about his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriends — as well as two individuals with similar names as the new boyfriends — for personal use and did not indicate what, if anything, Fresorger did with the information. Borchard, who said he was only “halfway” through the transcripts from the two-part hearing and would make a decision once he finishes reading them, indicated that his impression was that Fresorger was accessing the information to find out more about the men with whom his ex-girlfriend was bringing their child into contact. Piazza argued that there also was no indication of that from the testimony. Piazza added that while Fresorger's ex-girlfriend, Tracy Moore, testified that Fresorger told her of her new boyfriends' past drug use, that type of information, including criminal history, is not accessible through in-car LEIN consoles, which Fresorger used. County Assistant Prosecutor Jon Sahli countered that testimony showed that some in-car LEIN consoles can access criminal history, while others cannot. Fresorger was suspended May 10 with pay and suspended June 24 without pay in connection with the charges. He remains suspended without pay until the conclusion of this case, said county Sheriff William L. Federspiel. The charge of using computers to commit a crime carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison, while the impermissible use of personal information charge carries a five-year maximum penalty. The misdemeanors carry maximum penalties of 93 days in jail. Fresorger remained free today on a $1,000 or 10 percent bond.
SAGINAW — A suspended Saginaw County sheriff’s deputy accused of improperly using a statewide computerized information system for personal use will stand trial on six felonies and five misdemeanors. Saginaw County District Judge Terry L. Clark on Wednesday concluded the second part of the preliminary hearing for Steven T. Fresorger, 41, by ruling that prosecutors had shown probable cause to take him to trial in Circuit Court. Fresorger, who lives in Saginaw Township, is charged with five felony counts of impermissible use of personal information he obtained through the Law Enforcement Information Network, or LEIN, five misdemeanor counts of unauthorized disclosure of information from LEIN and one felony count of using computers to commit a crime. Fresorger is accused of using LEIN to access information about his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriends as well as two individuals with similar names as the new boyfriends. Fresorger remained free today on a $1,000 or 10 percent bond.
SAGINAW — A Saginaw County sheriff’s deputy ran the names of his child’s mother’s new boyfriends through a statewide computerized information system, a witness testified today. A decision on whether Steven T. Fresorger will stand trial on six felonies and seven misdemeanors for, prosecutors say, improperly running the names will have to wait until a later date, though. Saginaw County District Judge Terry L. Clark this afternoon heard testimony from six witnesses in the preliminary hearing for Fresorger, 41, of Saginaw Township. Because Fresorger’s attorney, James F. Piazza, had another scheduled hearing, Clark postponed the remainder of the hearing until a later date. The hearing is intended for a judge to determine whether probable cause exists for trial in Circuit Court. Fresorger is charged with five felony counts of impermissible use of personal information he obtained through the Law Enforcement Information Network, or LEIN, five misdemeanor counts of unauthorized disclosure of information from LEIN and one felony count of using computers to commit a crime. Elizabeth Canfield, a state police analyst of LEIN, testified that Fresorger — or, at least, someone using Fresorger’s user identification and password — used LEIN terminals to run information checks, but not criminal history checks, on John A. Warner, John P. Warner, Michael Stoll, Michael M. “Marty” Stoll, and Brandon Wakeman. Fresorger’s ex-girlfriend, Tracy Moore, testified that she dated John A. Warner in 2009 and “Marty” Stoll and Wakeman in 2010. Moore said that Fresorger told her that each of the three men had drug charges. Canfield testified that Fresorger searched for a “John Warner” once between May and July 2009 and followed that by searching more specifically for John A. Warner and John P. Warner. John P. Warner testified that he has never been to Saginaw County and didn’t know Fresorger, while John A. Warner now lives in San Francisco, Moore said. Fresorger on July 17, 2010, searched 11 times for “Marty” Stoll and once for Michael Stoll, Canfield said. On Sept. 6 and Sept. 7, he searched for Wakeman’s name four times, Canfield said. “Marty” Stoll testified he knew of Fresorger “through mutual friends” but never had contact with him a sheriff’s deputy. Stoll testified that he possessed marijuana with Moore at one time, but Clark did not allow him to answer further questions from Piazza to avoid incriminating himself. Somebody from either the Saginaw Police Department or Michigan State Police searched for Wakeman on Sept. 4, Canfield said. Wakeman, who said he never met or had contact with Fresorger, said he was arrested for drunken driving by a state police trooper that day. Piazza said one of Fresorger’s defenses will be that as a deputy, he could check on Stoll’s and Wakeman’s backgrounds. A defense regarding Warner was not mentioned today, but Piazza likely will address it at the continuation of the hearing. Canfield testified that the searches Fresorger conducted were only for driver’s license information, such as date of birth and an individual’s driver’s operator code — information protected through the state LEIN statute. Days after Fresorger filed an “emergency petition” for sole custody of their 5-year-old son, based on accusations that Moore sexually assaulted the child, Moore sent a letter to county Sheriff William L. Federspiel, claiming that Fresorger was stalking her. Fresorger was charged in late June. Joan Hogenson, who provides custody and parenting recommendations for the Saginaw County Friend of the Court, testified she interviewed Fresorger and Moore. When she asked Fresorger if he used LEIN to research Warner, he said, “I’ll check on people my son is around,” Hogenson said. Hogenson acknowledged, however, that Fresorger did not actually admit to using LEIN to “check on” those people. Federspiel on June 24 suspended Fresorger without pay in connection with the charges. That suspension was pending the completion of an internal investigation, Federspiel said. He gave Fresorger notice of possible discipline earlier this month, he said, to which Fresorger had 14 days to respond. Those 14 days expired “late last week,” Federspiel said, and Fresorger did not respond. The sheriff now must conduct a “Loudermill hearing” to “determine what I’m going to do with any type of discipline,” he said. Federspiel said he will conduct the hearing “in the next 10 days” and will “make a decision based on the outcome of the internal investigation.” Discipline could include termination, he said. The charge of using computers to commit a crime carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison or a $5,000 fine. The charge of impermissible use of personal information carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and the charge of unauthorized disclosure of information from the LEIN system carries a maximum penalty of 93 days in jail. Fresorger remained free today on a $1,000 or 10 percent bond
SAGINAW — A Saginaw County sheriff’s deputy accused of using a statewide computerized information system for personal use will have to wait longer to see if he’ll stand trial on six felonies and seven misdemeanors. Saginaw County District Judge Terry L. Clark this afternoon postponed the preliminary hearing for Steven T. Fresorger, 41, of Saginaw Township. Fresorger is charged with five felony counts of impermissible use of personal information he obtained through the Law Enforcement Information Network, or LEIN, five misdemeanor counts of unauthorized disclosure of information from LEIN, and one felony count of using computers to commit a crime. The deputy, whom county Sheriff William L. Federspiel suspended without pay June 24 in connection with the charges, appeared today before Clark for a conference to prepare for a preliminary hearing, intended for the judge to hear evidence and decide whether probable cause exists for trial. The hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, but Fresorger’s attorney, James F. Piazza, will be in Saginaw County Circuit Judge Fred L. Borchard’s courtroom for the continuation of the trial against brothers Ronald and Steven Owens. Piazza said Fresorger would waive his right to have the hearing within 14 days of his arraignment. The attorney also said he still is receiving discovery materials. Fresorger’s arrest warrant states the crimes he’s charged with committing occurred between June 29, 2009, and Sept. 7, 2010. Federspiel said investigators believe five individuals had their information compromised by Fresorger. The sheriff has not revealed a motive. Federspiel said the investigation began after a citizen filed a complaint against the deputy April 6. The citizen was not one of the five people whose information was compromised, according to the sheriff. The charge of using computers to commit a crime carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison or a $5,000 fine. The charge of impermissible use of personal information carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and the charge of unauthorized disclosure of information from the LEIN system carries a maximum penalty of 93 days in jail. Fresorger remained free today on a $1,000 or 10 percent bond.
Today the Saginaw County sheriff puts one of his own on unpaid leave while that deputy is investigated internally and criminally. Deputy Steve Fresorger has been charged with six felonies and five misdemeanors. The investigation started months ago. He's accused of unlawfully using the LEIN system, a database of public criminal records run by law enforcement. The prosecutor says the deputy used it for personal use and not official business. "We must maintain a high level of professionalism when using LEIN and if it's alleged that someone has abused or utilized it for personal use it is our duty, my duty as sheriff especially, to look into that matter," says Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel. Some county commissioners have criticized the sheriff's handling of the case because the deputy has been paid from May 10th until June 24. The sheriff says that's because he has to follow proper procedure and collective bargaining agreements
SAGINAW — Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel today suspended Deputy Steven T. Fresorger without pay after the deputy was charged with six felonies and five misdemeanors on Wednesday. "This is a sad day for Saginaw County, but we're doing what is right," said Federspiel, announcing the change in the status of Fresorger, 41, who was suspended May 10 but had been receiving pay since then. "It's a form of discipline when you suspend a person without pay, and in order to impose discipline, I like to follow everything to the letter in the collective bargaining agreement (with unionized officers)," Federspiel said. Fresorger is accused of five counts of impermissible use of personal information he obtained through the Law Enforcement Information Network, or LEIN system. He also faces five counts of unauthorized disclosure of information from the LEIN system, and one count of using computers to commit a crime. Prosecutors allege the acts occurred between June 29, 2009, and Sept. 7 of last year. The LEIN system is a statewide computerized information system established to serve Michigan’s criminal justice agencies. It is designed to provide a computerized filing system of accurate and timely documented criminal justice information. The system contains information such as addresses and dates of birth of motorists, owners of vehicles and driving records. "We are looking at five individuals we believe had their information compromised" by Fresorger, the sheriff said. Federspiel didn't reveal Fresorger's motive in allegedly using the information, but said he would disclose that eventually. Federspiel said the investigation of Fresorger began after a citizen filed a complaint against the deputy on April 6. The citizen was not one of the five people who had their information compromised, according to the sheriff. The charge of using computers to commit a crime carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison or a $5,000 fine. The charge of impermissible use of personal information carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and the charge of unauthorized disclosure of information from the LEIN system carries a maximum penalty of 93 days in jail. In arraigning Fresorger on Wednesday, Saginaw County District Judge M.T. Thompson entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and held him on a $1,000 or 10 percent bond. Fresorger posted the bond Wednesday. Fresorger’s July 6 preliminary hearing is scheduled before District Judge Terry L. Clark. Sheriff's Department Lt. Robert B. Phelps said that before the sheriff could suspend Fresorger without pay, Federspiel was required to follow protocol related to the collective bargaining agreement and fair labor standards.
County Commissioners Tim Kelly and Kirk Kilpatrick said in a news release Friday that they disagree with the Saginaw County Sheriff's Department's decision to pay Steven T. Fresorger while he is suspended from his job. County prosecutors have charged Fresorger with six felonies and five misdemeanors for allegedly forging motor vehicle certificates and using government property to commit those crimes. "I don't care what collective bargaining agreement or union contract this guy is working under, taxpayers should not have to pay for this guy to sit at home while he builds a defense for defrauding us all," Kelly said. "We have thousands of law abiding people out of work, trying to scrape a life together and somehow they see fit to continue to pay this guy?" The commissioners said it appears there was a lengthy and ongoing investigation leading up to Mr. Fresorger being charged with six felonies and five misdemeanors. "Law enforcement personnel are paid quite well for their service, partially to avoid this kind of behavior," said Kilpatrick. "I do not believe we should be paying criminals to protect us from criminals" Kelly and Kilpatrick said they understand that an investigation is pending, but believe that Fresorger, while presumed innocent, should nevertheless be suspended without pay. According to Sheriff William Federspiel, Fresorger has been on paid administrative leave since early May while the Sheriff Department's Internal Affairs unit investigated. He will have a hearing Friday and his employment status may change at that hearing. Fresorger is due back in court on July 6.
A Saginaw County Sheriff's deputy has been charged with six felonies and five misdemeanors following an internal investigation by the department. Deputy Steve Fresorger was charged with five counts of unlawfully using the LEIN system, a database of public and criminal records run by law enforcement in a Saginaw courtroom Wednesday. The other felony charge was for using a computer to commit the alleged crime. The five misdemeanor charges are for "forgery of a motor vehicle certificate." The police database crime charge means the deputy may have accessed the system for a use other than law enforcement purposes. The system may only be used for official business and for nothing of a personal nature. According to Sheriff William Federspiel, Fresorger has been on paid administrative leave since early May while the Sheriff Department's Internal Affairs unit investigated. He will have a hearing tomorrow and his employment status may change at that hearing. Fresorger is due back in court on July 6.
SAGINAW COUNTY -- (06/24/11) -- A Saginaw County sheriff's deputy could be fired now that he is facing 11 criminal charges. He's accused of using a state-wide Law Enforcement Information Network for personal purposes, but he might also be charged in another case. Steve Fresorger was formally charged on Wednesday, but the Saginaw County prosecutor is reviewing another criminal complaint involving the deputy. In 2008, Fresorger was featured in an ABC12 story for helping save the life of a man who collapsed in a meeting. But now, the 41-year-old deputy is free on bond after being charged with six felonies and five misdemeanors. "It's very difficult. It's never easy for anyone, but especially for one of your own. It's a sad day for Saginaw County," said Saginaw County Sheriff Bill Federspiel. All of the criminal charges pertain to Fresorger's alleged personal use of the state's Law Enforcement Information Network, or LEIN, a system used by law enforcement agencies across the state. "Run secretary of state information, license plates, we can find out owner information on vehicles. It must be utilized for professional purposes only, it cannot be utilized for personal purposes at all," Federspiel said. While the sheriff won't disclose what Fresorger was allegedly looking for in the LEIN system, Fresorger is also under investigation for a domestic situation involving an ex-girlfriend at a Saginaw Township little league field on May 7. "She alleges that there was a confrontation on the field between him and her and he grabbed her right arm and pulled her off the field," said Saginaw Township Police Chief Don Pussehl. That incident was investigated by the Saginaw Township Police Department. "This is a separate incident that was reported to us. It was investigated and this case has been turned over to the prosecutor for review," Pussehl said. Federspiel says Fresorger will be put on unpaid administrative leave today, and a decision on whether he will be fired will be made next week following an internal affairs investigation.
SAGINAW — Prosecutors have charged a Saginaw County Sheriff’s Department deputy with six felonies and five misdemeanors in connection with allegations he forged motor vehicle certificates and committed unauthorized use of a statewide computerized information system. Steven T. Fresorger, 41, of Saginaw Township was arraigned on the charges Wednesday in front of Saginaw County District Judge M.T. Thompson. Fresorger faces five felony counts of forging motor vehicle certificates and one felony count of using a computer to commit those crimes. He also faces five misdemeanor counts of unauthorized use of the Law Enforcement Information Network, a statewide computerized information system established to serve Michigan’s criminal justice agencies. Fresorger is suspended with pay, said department Lt. Robert B. Phelps. The department's Internal Affairs officers investigated Fresorger and the probe continues, according to Phelps. Thompson set bond at $1,000. Fresorger posted bond and remains free awaiting a July 6 hearing on the evidence before Saginaw County District Judge Terry L. Clark. The Law Enforcement Information Network, known as LEIN, is designed to provide a computerized filing system of accurate and timely documented criminal justice information. The system also contains driver information.
On August 24, 2004, Detroit Police Officer Nicole Rabior was arrested for a domestic violence assault against her boyfriend. A felony warrant was issued against Officer Rabior, charging her with “Felonious Assault,” contrary to MCL 750.82. Felonious Assault is punishable as a felony with four (4) years in prison and/or a fine of $2,000.00.
Information on Officer Rabior's domestic violence case and the charges against her seem to have disappeared. But, in September 2010 Officer Rabior resurfaced in the news. This time Officer Rabior [still a police officer with the Detroit PD] had been arrested for drunk driving.
A pretrial hearing Thursday for Detroit Police Officer Nicole L. Rabior, charged with drunken driving and fleeing the scene of an accident, was adjourned until Dec. 9 so her attorney has more time to review materials. Rabior is charged with operating under the influence of liquor and failing to stop at the scene of a property damage accident Sept. 4. Investigators said she was off duty when she drove her personal vehicle while intoxicated and hit ...
Detroit officials released the jail booking photo this week of police Officer Nicole L. Rabior, who is charged with drunken driving and fleeing the scene of an off-duty, hit-and-run accident Sept 4. The Detroit Police Department would not immediately release Rabior's photo, despite a 2009 Michigan Court of Appeals order that required it to release the booking photo of an officer facing misdemeanor charges in a different case. Instead, police referred the matter of Rabior's photo to the law department. The Free Press requested her photo under the Freedom of Information Act on Sept. 7. Off duty DPD officer busted for DUI, leaving the scene of an accident
September 8, 2010
By: Robert Brignall http://www.examiner.com/article/off-duty-dpd-officer-busted-for-dui-leaving-the-scene-of-an-accident
Detroit police officer Nicole L. Rabior was arraigned in 36th district court Tuesday on one en Rabior had a few drinks and collided with a car stopped at a red light at Gratiot and Houston. When she did not stop, the owner of the damaged car called the police. Shortly thereafter, the Roseville police pulled her over in Eastpointe. At Tuesday's arraignment, Rabior was granted a $5,000 bond on the condition she submit to an alcohol evaluation. This is not Rabior's first brush with the law. She has a prior conviction for misdemeanor assault and battery in Clinton Twp, involving a dispute with her domestic partner on August 26, 2004. She struck the man's head with her fist, then hit him in the head with a cell phone charger. Rabior's next court appearance in the present case is scheduled for October 14.
DETROIT – 28-year-old Nicole Rabior, a Detroit Police officer since 2001, is charged with driving drunk and leaving the scene of an accident. Investigators say around 2:45 Saturday afternoon, Rabior was off-duty and in her own car when she hit another car stopped at the red light at Houston-Whittier and Gratiot on Detroit’s east side. The other driver wasn’t hurt, but immediately called 911. Detroit Police notified other agencies to be on the lookout for her car. Roseville Police spotted it and pulled her over. Tuesday, she was charged with two misdemeanors. This isn’t the first time this police officer has been in trouble with the law. In 2004, she was arrested in Clinton Township for beating her boyfriend with a cell phone charger when he threatened to break up with her. She’s remains on-duty with Detroit Police, but an Internal Affairs investigation is underway.
In 2012, Lance Laird ran for the position of Jackson County Sheriff. At the time, Laird was on probation for a domestic violence assault [August 28, 2010]. During the campaign, he was jailed for violating the terms of that probation. Laird lost the August 2012 primary for Jackson County Sheriff.
In January 2013, Laird was arrested for transporting $900,000 worth of cocaine from Texas to Michigan.
"I find your client to be one of the most manipulative and controlling individuals that I have ever run across, according the report, according to the information, and according to the violation."
[Comment Jackson County Judge Mazur made to Lance Laird's attorney during Laird's hearing for the domestic violence charge and violation of bond].
One of the same people who ran for Jackson County Sheriff last year has been busted for cocaine.
Lance Laird lost the August primary while sitting in jail. He got out, and cops say he was driving one of three vehicles stopped last week in Calhoun County. More than four kilos were found inside a spare tire. Cops say the cars were coming back from Texas. Eight others are facing charges for possession with intent to sell.
TEKONSHA, MI – A former candidate for Jackson County sheriff was among eight people arrested last week when police found 4.5 kilograms of cocaine in a GMC Yukon near Tekonsha. Lance Laird, who lost in the August Democratic primary, was driving one of three vehicles stopped Wednesday on M-60 near 19 ½ Mile Road in Calhoun County, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court. The vehicles had gone to Texas and were returning to Michigan. Laird, in a Pontiac Grand Prix, was accompanying the Yukon, where police said they found the cocaine inside a spare tire. The tire was attached beneath the SUV, according to the complaint, filed Friday in the Western District of Michigan in Grand Rapids. Laird’s co-defendants are: Juan Guerrero Jr., Robert Paul Villarreal, Julio Cruz Pizano, Gonzalo Ramon Delarosa, Ryan Joshua Nice, Genoveva Pizano Villarreal and Abel Bernardo Villarreal. Friday, the defendants appeared before a federal magistrate judge, and are in federal custody. A pretrial conference hearing is scheduled for Thursday. They are charged with conspiring to possess cocaine with the intention of distributing it. Driving the Yukon was Delarosa, 59, of Blackman Township, according to the complaint. Laird admitted to leaving Delarosa’s home on Rives Junction Road in the Grand Prix and heading to Texas. Laird, 36, said he had made the same trip about two months ago, the complaint states. A confidential informant led police to investigate the most recent trip. The informant told a Lansing police officer that Guerrero, who lives in Lansing, has connections for illegal narcotics in Texas, according to the complaint. The informant told the officer Guerrero would be planning a trek last week, and the informant gave a cell phone to Guerrero, which police then tracked. Law enforcement personnel monitored the men's movements and state police first stopped the Grand Prix after it returned to Michigan. A white pickup, accompanying the Yukon and the Grand Prix, swerved at a trooper’s patrol vehicle as the trooper went after the Yukon. The complaint alleges the pickup was a “bait vehicle,” used by drug traffickers to draw the attention of law enforcement away from the vehicle carrying the drugs, according to the complaint. Police stopped the pickup and then pursued the Yukon, which had picked up its speed from about 35 mph to more than 60 mph in snowy, icy conditions in an apparent attempt to avoid a stop, the complaint states. The three vehicles were traveling together, Pizano, 45, admitted to a deputy on the Jackson Narcotics Enforcement Team, according to the complaint. The Jackson team is familiar with Pizano, Laird and Delarosa, said state police Detective Lt. Dave Cook, the team commander. They are “known targets,” he said Monday. During the primary in August, Laird was in jail for testing positive for cocaine while on probation for a domestic violence charge. He denied using the drug. The jail stay was his 14th in Jackson County since 2006, jail records showed. Lance lost the primary to Jackson reserve officer Kenneth Carpenter, but still earned more than 1,400 votes. Sheriff Steve Rand, a Republican, beat Carpenter handily in the November general election. The cocaine found last week has a value of about $900,000, state police reported. "It's probably the biggest (bust) we have been involved in in a long time," Cook said of the Jackson team.
JACKSON, MI – Unofficial primary results show Kenneth Carpenter, a reserve officer with the Jackson Police Department, beat a jail inmate, Lance Laird, by 2,071 votes.
Carpenter will be the Democratic candidate for sheriff for the November general election, where he faces Sheriff Steve Rand, a Republican.
Rand, preliminarily, had a large lead over Republican primary challenger Larry Bradley, owner of Larry's Garage and Hanover Township assistant fire chief.
With all precincts reporting, Carpenter was leading his opponent, Lance Laird, with 3,494 votes to Laird's 1,423.
"Like I said from day one, I have come into this race because I want to make a difference with the youth in this county," Carpenter said Tuesday night.
He said he is grateful for the support. " I do want to thank every one who has voted for me and welcomed me onto their front porch or onto their lawn," he said.
Carpenter, too, expressed surprise at Laird's vote count. "I didn't figure that many people would vote for someone running for sheriff in jail."
Laird, is serving a 57-day sentence in the jail the elected sheriff will oversee. Laird, 36, tested positive for cocaine while on probation for a domestic violence charge. The stint in the county lock-up is Laird’s 15th, according to a past report.
Carpenter, a father of five, has worked with the city police department for nine years and has a degree from Jackson Community College in criminal justice. He works at the Ford plant in Saline.
Children are his priority, he repeatedly said. "There is heroin in kids' hands; there is prescription medication. There is crack cocaine in kids' hands because it's cheap. There are guns in kids' hands," he said. "That stuff has to come out of people's hands."
JACKSON, MI — Jackson County Sheriff candidate Lance Laird cannot vote for himself in the Aug. 7 Democratic primary.
He cannot vote at all.
Under state law, Laird is not allowed to vote in the primary because he will be in jail serving a sentence. Only inmates incarcerated awaiting arraignment or a trial are allowed to vote, said Jackson County Clerk Amanda Riska.
"A person who, in a court of this or another state or in a federal court, has been legally convicted and sentenced for a crime for which the penalty imposed is confinement in jail or prison shall not vote, offer to vote, attempt to vote, or be permitted to vote at an election while confined," according to state law.
District Judge R. Darryl Mazur sent Laird to jail for 57 days Tuesday for violating probation by testing positive for cocaine. Laird was on probation for a domestic violence charge to which he pleaded no contest. He denied both the domestic violence charge and using cocaine.
Laird will remain on the Aug. 7 ballot where he is challenging Kenneth Carpenter, a Jackson Police Department reserve officer, for the Democratic nomination for sheriff. Despite Laird's recent transgressions and his past criminal history, there are no laws or rules barring him from running for sheriff.
The only qualification to run for sheriff, according to state law, is that the candidate be a "qualified and registered elector," according to statement issued by the state Bureau of Elections to the Jackson County clerk's office. Laird's past or present actions do not disqualify him as an elector.
"The candidate remains on the ballot and votes cast for him should be counted," the Bureau of Elections stated.
However, the Bureau of Elections also stated that "in the unlikely event that he wins, an aggrieved person can file a quo warranto action."
If someone feels there has been fraud or an error in an election, state law allows that person to bring legal action against to municipality — in Laird's case, Jackson County.
Terry Jungel, the executive director of the Michigan Sheriff's Association, agreed with the Bureau of Elections that the chances of Laird winning the primary election behind bars are slim. While the possibilities are fun to entertain, elections for sheriff typically result in the most qualified candidate winning, Jungel said.
In a previous article in the Citizen-Patriot, Laird said, "They think I can't win this election, but you are going to see what the will of the people is about. They want change."
JACKSON, MI — Jackson County Sheriff candidate Lance Laird will spend the Aug. 7 primary behind bars.
District Judge R. Darryl Mazur sent Laird, 36, to jail for 57 days after testing positive for cocaine while on probation. Laird claimed someone spiked his stuff with something causing the positive test. "Mr. Laird, I'm not sure whether you're going to make this election for sheriff or not," Mazur said before imposing a sentence in the matter. "Candidly, I doubt it." Laird, on probation for a domestic violence charge to which he pleaded no contest in March 2011, tested positive for cocaine when tested on June 16, according to information presented in court. The 57-day sentence is the remainder of Laird's 93-day maximum sentence for the domestic violence charge. Laird already spent 36 days in jail for the original charge and other violations. During his violation hearing Tuesday, Laird accused Tammy Sanders, the woman he allegedly assaulted, of putting something in his stuff to create the positive test. Laird attempted to play a recording of Sanders admitting to "putting stuff in my things," he said. The audio could not be heard by Mazur or anyone else in the courtroom. Mazur asked Laird what the essence of the recording was, and Laird replied, "She said, yeah, I put stuff in your shit." Laird never used the words cocaine or drugs in his allegations against Sanders. Sanders was not in court to testify. Laird said she lies and would not be a credible witness. Mazur said it would have been more credible had Sanders come in to testify Tuesday. Laird's attorney was also not present. Laird said she had another hearing. Kris Putman, Laird's probation officer, said Laird did not show up for tests on June 12 and June 13. Putman called Laird and told him to go test. Laird told Putman he was frustrated with the system. Laird did not provide enough urine on June 15. On June 16, his test was positive for cocaine. Laird requested the sample be sent away for verification. The verification came back positive as well. Laird claims the initial domestic violence charge was based on lies and made against him because of an on-going custody dispute with Sanders. Photographs taken after the assault show Sanders with a cut lip and a bloody nose. Police reports provided by Laird show that Sanders had reported Laird hit her twice before. She had no marks, and police could not verify that an assault occurred in each. After the third report, when Sanders went to the Jackson Police Department with a bloodied face, Laird was arrested. He pleaded no contest to avoid spending more time in jail awaiting a trial, he said in previous conversations. Laird's stint in jail will his 15th, according to jail records. Charges against Laird in previous, unrelated matters, were dismissed, court records show. A jury convicted him of operating while impaired in 2008. He was found guilty of assault and battery in 1994. Laird has been convicted of traffic infractions and having a dog at large, according to court records. There have been eight civil actions filed against him. He contends the county justice system is corrupt and has fought his probation and previous charges. Laird has said as sheriff he would throw in jail prosecutors and judges who violate people's rights and use plea deals as instruments of coercion. He believes the county's criminal justice system is overrun with corruption. "What would you do if you were sheriff?" Mazur asked. "I don't think that's proper for the court," Laird responded. "I'm not here for my political agenda." "I'm curious," Mazur said. "Maybe you should ask me outside of court," Laird responded. At the close of the hearing, Mazur said, "If you're elected sheriff, go ahead hold us all accountable." Laird was placed in handcuffs and led out of the courtroom.
UPDATE: Jackson County Sheriff candidate Lance Laird sent to jail for 57 days for violating probation by testing positive for cocaine JACKSON, MI — A probation violation hearing for Jackson County Sheriff candidate Lance Laird is expected Tuesday morning. Laird, 36, said Monday he would be in court Tuesday for the hearing. On July 5, Jackson Country District Judge R. Darryl Mazur threw Laird in jail after a drug test came back positive for cocaine. Laird was released from jail and has denied using cocaine.
Evidence Laird expects to present at Tuesday's hearing will show the positive test was an error, he said. Laird was on probation for a domestic assault charge to which he pleaded no contest in March 2011. He contests the domestic assault, claiming the woman he is accused of assaulting lied to police. Laird's recent trip to jail was his 14th, according to jail records. Charges against Laird in previous, unrelated matters, were dismissed, court records show. A jury convicted him of operating while impaired in 2008. He was found guilty of assault and battery in 1994. Laird has been convicted of traffic infractions and having a dog at large, according to court records. There have been eight civil actions filed against him. Laird contends the county's criminal justice system is corrupt, a wrong he will remedy if elected sheriff. He is challenged by Kenneth Carpenter, a reserve officer with the Jackson Police Department, in the Aug. 7 Democratic primary.
JACKSON, MI — Candidates who have been on opposite sides of the law will challenge each other in the Aug. 7 Democratic primary. Kenneth Carpenter is a reserve police officer with the Jackson Police Department. Lance Laird, a self-employed construction worker, has been to jail 14 times, most recently for testing positive for cocaine while on probation.
"They think I can't win this election, but you are going to see what the will of the people is about. They want change," Laird said. "My biggest thing is to stop all the corruption that goes on in law enforcement along with the corruption in the court." Laird, 36, said as sheriff he would throw in jail prosecutors and judges who violate people's rights and use plea deals as instruments of coercion. He would end what he sees as special treatment to police officers caught breaking the law. He believes seat belt laws and the workplace smoking ban are unconstitutional and would not enforce them. Police should stop harassing medical marijuana dispensaries and instead uphold the law and go after more dangerous drugs such as heroin, he said. Laird is a medical marijuana card holder. He has a steel rod in his leg and back pain. Laird has denied using cocaine and said the domestic assault charge for which he is on probation was based on lies and corruption. Most previous charges and violations against Laird have been dismissed. While in jail, however, Laird talked with fellow inmates and heard about injustices and corruption. He said the public has lost faith and trust in law enforcement, and as sheriff, he would restore it.
Carpenter, 45, said his big passion in running for sheriff is to help children. The father of five, Carpenter has been a reserve officer with the Jackson Police Department for nine years and has a degree in criminal justice from Jackson Community College.
"I want to help the kids out and keep the kids out of jail to save the county money," Carpenter said. As he has campaigned, many people have been receptive to his proposed programs for children in Jackson County. He does not think the sheriff's office is heading in the wrong direction but would like it to focus more on the youth. He wants comprehensive cooperation between the sheriff's office and local schools. It starts with teaching preschoolers and kindergartners about positive contacts with police and the dangers of strangers. High school seniors would learn about staying safe while away from home at college, the dangers of drinking and drugs and their constitutional rights when it comes to law enforcement. Carpenter would like to use the Jackson County Jail as a place for rehabilitation. He wants to provide inmates more access to their families and start a program to involve inmates in community clean-up. He knows the budget will be tight for his programs but expects to use reserve officers and other volunteers to accomplish his goals. Laird also wants to make educating young, potential offenders an emphasis.
JACKSON, MI — Democratic sheriff candidate Lance Laird denied using cocaine and said the domestic violence charge for which he is on probation is based on lies and a corrupt criminal justice system. Laird, 36, said one of the reasons he is running for sheriff is to rid county law enforcement of corruption and hold accountable officers, prosecutors and judges. Jackson County District Judge R. Darryl Mazur threw Laird in jail at the beginning of the month after a drug test came back positive for cocaine. Laird pleaded no contest to a domestic violence charge on March 2, 2011. Laird denied using cocaine. He said his lawyer will present evidence clearing his name at a hearing scheduled for July 27. He said the woman he is accused of assaulting lied to police. Officers, prosecutors and the judge believed her because the criminal justice does not like him, he said. "They don't like me because I fight all my seat belt tickets; because I fight all the tickets that I think are corrupt," Laird said. Laird's recent trip to jail was his 14th, according to jail records. Charges against Laird in previous, unrelated matters, were dismissed, court records show. A jury convicted him of operating while impaired in 2008. He was found guilty of assault and battery in 1994. Laird has been convicted of traffic infractions and having a dog at large, according to court records. There have been eight civil actions filed against him. "If you look at my police record, 90 percent of the things on there have been dismissed," he said. The 1994 assault was also based on lies, he said. Laird will face off against Kenneth Carpenter, a reserve police officer, in the Aug. 7 Democratic primary.
JACKSON, MI — Jackson County Sheriff candidate Lance Laird is no stranger to the county jail, a facility he would oversee if elected in November. District Judge R. Darryl Mazur sent Laird, 36, to jail Thursday for testing positive for cocaine and violating his probation. It is Laird's 14th stay at the Jackson County Jail since 2006, according to jail records. Laird, on probation for domestic assault, tested positive for cocaine during a June 16 drug screen. The results were confirmed on June 23, according to Mazur and Laird's court file. A bench warrant for Laird's arrest was issued on June 26, records show. Mazur sent Laird to jail after a show-cause hearing Wednesday at which his attorney, Ina O'Briant, was not present. Laird will stay in jail pending a $838 bond and his next hearing, scheduled for July 24. Laird pleaded no contest to domestic assault and was sentenced to 18 months of probation plus fines and costs on March 21, 2011. Laird was accused of assaulting Tammy Sanders on Aug. 28, 2010. The two have a child together, and Laird has custody, according to court records. Photographs taken after the assault show Sanders with a cut lip and a bloody nose. At a March 14, 2011 hearing, Sanders told Mazur both she and Laird had drug problems. She said Laird was controlling and kept her from seeing their child. Laird would not admit to hitting her, she said. Mazur was to sentence Laird at the hearing but delayed it a week to wait for a custody hearing in Circuit Judge Susan Beebe's court. Laird, who was in jail at the time on a bond violation, did not speak. O'Briant told Mazur her client was looking forward to his release from jail and putting the charge behind him. "I find your client to be one of the most manipulative and controlling individuals that I have ever run across, according the report, according to the information, and according to the violation," Mazur said at the hearing. O'Briant called Mazur's comments unfair and showed a bias by the judge against her client, court records show. Mazur said as a judge, he was allow to form a bias based on the information before him. O'Briant could not be reached for comment Thursday. On March 21, 2011, Mazur sentenced Laird to 18 months probation. Laird had trouble complying with probation. He missed drug treatment classes. He did not pay his fines and costs as scheduled. He ended up back in jail. "Does just enough to keep head above water," one report indicated. On Oct. 26, 2011, Laird tested positive for cocaine and THC, according to probation reports. He claimed that someone put something in a his food in a plot to get custody of his kids. Mazur threw him in jail. Later reports indicate Laird is a medical marijuana card holder. One report states — in all capital letters and highlighted — that Laird is running for sheriff. Charges against Laird in previous, unrelated matters, were dismissed, court records show. A jury convicted him of operating while impaired in 2008. He was found guilty of assault and battery in 1994. Laird has been convicted of traffic infractions and having a dog at large, according to court records. There have been eight civil actions filed against him. Laird registered to run for sheriff by the May 15 deadline, according to county records. Efforts to reach him at the time were unsuccessful. He was among 12 candidates interviewed in 2007 for the Leoni Township supervisor position left vacant when Jim Phelps retired. Not selected for the appointment, he then was unemployed and reported he previously worked for Pommark, a heating and air conditioning wholesaler. In 2009, he filed a certified business registration with the county for Lance Laird Roofing, according to earlier reports. Other candidates for sheriff include Steven Rand, the current sheriff; Kenneth Carpenter, a reserve police officer; and Larry Bradley, an assistant fire chief and owner of a towing company.
JACKSON, MI — Lance Laird, a candidate for Jackson County Sheriff, is in jail after he violated his probation by testing positive for cocaine. On Wednesday afternoon, District Judge R. Darryl Mazur threw Laird in jail where he will wait for a hearing later this month. Laird, 36, is on probation for domestic assault through Mazur's court. Laird tested positive for cocaine during a June 16 drug screen administered through the ADAM Drug Testing program, Mazur said. The positive result was verified June 23. A hearing was scheduled for Wednesday at which Laird was expected to explain why he tested positive, Mazur said. Laird's attorney was out of town for the hearing. Mazur decided to put Laird in jail until a second hearing scheduled for July 24. Laird's bond was set at $838, according to jail records. Mazur said he set bail at the the amount of fines and costs still owed in the domestic assault judgement. Laird pleaded no contest to domestic assault March 2, 2011, according to court records. Laird registered to run for sheriff by the May 15 deadline, according to county records. Efforts to reach him at the time were unsuccessful. He was among 12 candidates interviewed in 2007 for the Leoni Township supervisor position left vacant when Jim Phelps retired. Not selected for the appointment, he then was unemployed and reported he previously worked for Pommark, a heating and air conditioning wholesaler. In 2009, he filed a certified business registration with the county for Lance Laird Roofing, according to earlier reports.
JACKSON, MI -- The offices of Jackson County prosecutor and sheriff will be the only contested partisan, county-wide seats in this year's elections. Tuesday was the filing deadline for candidates to appear on the August primary ballot. Republicans Larry Bradley, a Hanover Township assistant fire chief who runs a tow truck business; and Lance Laird will challenge incumbent Republican Sheriff Steve Rand in August. Kenneth W. Carpenter, a local reserve officer and employee at the Ford plant in Saline, is the only Democrat running for the seat. Laird, 35, filed most recently and was not included in earlier reports about candidates for sheriff. An effort to reach him Tuesday was not successful. He was among 12 candidates interviewed in 2007 for the Leoni Township supervisor position left vacant when Jim Phelps retired. Not selected for the appointment, he then was unemployed and reported he previously worked for Pommark, a heating and air conditioning wholesaler. In 2009, he filed a certified business registration with the county for Lance Laird Roofing. Running for prosecutor are Republicans and local lawyers Allison Bates, Jerry Jarzynka and Craig Pappin. The primary winner will face in November Democrat and attorney Charles Alexander Perlos, who filed Friday as the lone Democratic candidate. Prosecutor Hank Zavislak announced last month he will not run for a third elected term. Running unopposed are Clerk Amanda Riska, a Republican; Treasurer Karen A. Coffman, a Democrat; Drain Commissioner Geoffrey W. Snyder, a Republican; and Surveyor Dean R. Gutekunst, a Republican. All four are incumbents. Riska’s position on the election information is listed as clerk/register of deeds. Current Register of Deeds Mindy Reilly is not running for re-election and the county earlier discussed combining the two offices as part of an effort to consolidate and reduce spending.
According to Deputy Binion, he and his female friend were just talking. When his friend spotted her husband, she remarked, "Oh God, there's my husband". The husband grabbed the woman and told her, "Get your ass in the car". Deputy Binion said he told the husband, "Don't grab her". The husband reportedly told Deputy Binion, "You're a dead mother f***er". 
