The federal investigation into corruption in Macomb county continues as a New Haven village trustee and a former village trustee are charged with bribery.
The Detroit Free Press reports that Trustee Christopher Craigmiles and former Trustee Brett Harris are accused of accepting $16,000 in bribes.
There are now a total of five county officials facing corruption charges in the federal probe.
The charging documents state that Craigmiles and Harris took bribes from an undercover FBI agent last summer. Both officials promised to support a future contract between New Haven and an unnamed company in exchange for the money.
The Free Press reports that sources close to the investigation indicate that the unnamed company is Rizzo Environmental Services, a trash company with contracts in more than 50 communities across metro Detroit.
The investigation by the FBI has found evidence of long-running, systemic corruption in Macomb county.
In a statement, Special Agent in Charge David P. Gelios said that these new charges are proof that the FBI is unrelenting in it's commitment to investigate public servants:
Today's announcement of public corruption charges, in the Village of New Haven, demonstrates the FBI's unyielding commitment to aggressively investigate public servants, past or present, who accept bribes in exchange for official actions. Illegal conduct as described today erodes the trust and confidence community members place in their elected officials and threatens the integrity of our system of governance.
Previous charges in the corruption probe include trustees from Macomb, Chesterfield, and Clinton townships.
