6 Detroit Police Officers Charged With Extortion In Scheme That Ran More Than Decade

DETROIT (WWJ) - Two current and four retired Detroit police officers have been charged with extortion.

They're accused of accepting bribes -- using their positions to refer stolen or abandoned cars found in Detroit to certain collision shops in exchange for cash payments from the shops' owners.

Detroit Police Chief James Craig says there are more officers involved.

Six Detroit police Officers have been indicted for their role in a long-running alleged extortion scheme. Craig says while these are troubling allegations, he's pleased that there is some closure.

"The scam was they were extorting money from a business, basically, getting something that they weren't entitled to - taking cars to a specific location or collision repair and in turn recieving money," said Craig.

Craig says the scheme has been going on for over a decade.

Deonne Dotson and Charles Wills were indicted by a federal grand jury. Dotson faces arraignment on Tuesday. Wills' arraignment has yet to be determined.

James Robertson, Jamil Martin, Martin Tutt and Anthony Careathers are the retired officers. They will be sentenced in 2018.

Federal authorities each was a member of the police department at the time of the alleged offenses.

Of the six officers indicted Wednesday three have retired, one resigned, two have been suspended with pay. And we've learned that there are two additional unnamed officers who are facing administrative charges.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)