DETROIT (WXYZ) — Eric Smith was arraigned in federal court via Zoom on one count of obstruction of justice. He signed a plea deal with the feds and the sentence recommendation is 1 to 2 years. The charge could be as much as 20 years.
The plea deal will be scheduled for court at a later date.
This is only half of Smith’s criminal legal trouble. He’s also charged with ten counts including embezzlement and racketeering by the Michigan Attorney General after Michigan State Police raided his prosecutor’s office and home and removed security cameras there.
It is alleged that Smith and three others stole $600,000 from forfeiture funds collected in drug and drunk driving cases.
New trouble for Smith happened yesterday when former Chief Assistant and friend Ben Liston took a plea deal.
Liston was charged with embezzlement and running a criminal enterprise and facing up to 20 years in prison. His deal is reduced to 3 misdemeanors and 6 months in jail. But he has also agreed to work with police and testify against Smith as needed.
