https://www.detroitnews.com/story/n...ced-to-prison-in-bribery-scandal/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.
āAny 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 AndrƩ 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 departmentās 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 departmentās integrity unit investigating the company, the government alleged.
The towing official said he would give Kennedy and Vickers free cars.
āYeah, if I know Iām good, if I know Iām good, Iām gonna line them up,ā the towing figure said. āI got two, two for (Kennedyās) kids and the one for you. He's got a Chrysler 200, the Fusion, and the Beamer.ā
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 ā¦"
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."