Ex-Hamtramck police officer pleads guilty to taking bribes from tow company operator
(CBS DETROIT) - A former Hamtramck police officer accused of taking bribes from a tow company operator has pleaded guilty, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Thursday.
Michael Stout, 61, of St. Clair Shores, pleaded guilty to bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Federal prosecutors say Stout accepted a vehicle and $1,500 in cash from the operator in exchange for information from the Michigan Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN), according to a press release.
Officials say in one instance, Stout allegedly called "an unwitting employee to search LEIN so Stout could provide the vehicle's registration information to the towing company operator" after the operator was worried a police vehicle had been following him.
Stout resigned from the department in 2020.
He was the sixth person charged as part of "Operation Northern Hook," which is an investigation within the government and the Detroit Police Department related to the towing industry.
"The public needs the commitment of their police officers to uphold the rule of law, not to break it for their own financial gain. Today's guilty plea underscores our commitment to ensure that officers who violate the public trust and accept bribes will answer for their crimes," U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said in a statement.