Two former elected officials have pleaded guilty in the ongoing federal corruption investigation in Macomb County and more people could be charged.
Former Chesterfield Township Supervisor Michael Lovelock and former Macomb Township Trustee Clifford Freitas both plead guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bribery.
But the Freitas case stands out because in court he told the judge he will work with the feds in their ongoing investigation.
The evidence in his case is: Freitas was an employee with Rizzo Environmental, got insider information from another township elected official and passed it onto Rizzo for that company to get the trash contract.
That township official has not been named.
Freitas’s Defense Attorney Daniel Garon said outside of court in an exchange with 7 Investigator Jim Kiertzner, “The Judge made it clear that he (Freitas) was given proprietary information from another elected official who was on the bid committee who knew what number to take to Rizzo, correct? That’s what Mr Freitas testified to, yes sir. And that other elected official could be in trouble too? That’s correct. And do you know who that is? No."
Freitas and Lovelock could do a maximum of 5 years in prison.
The feds drop bribery charges which would be 10 years in prison.
For Freitas the feds are recommending 2 1/2 years and that could be reduced with his cooperation.
For Lovelock, the recommendation is 33 to 46 months.
Attorney Jerome Sabbota tells 7 Action News, Lovelock’s case stands alone, he’s not helping the feds build other cases.
