A Detroit police officer was indicted by a federal grand jury for participating in a drug conspiracy.
Christopher Staton, 51, of Detroit, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of making a false statement to a special agent of the FBI, according to U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider.
According to the indictment, from 2012 to 2017, Staton allegedly conspired with ten other members of a drug trafficking organization to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine.
The indictment further alleges that Staton agreed to help by providing members of the conspiracy with sensitive law enforcement information, including about a co-conspirator's arrest and about vehicles' registrations.
Staton was also charged with lying to the FBI about the disclosure of the information.
“Detroit Police Officers are outstanding public servants, and the corrupt actions of
just this one defendant should not undermine the public’s overall trust in law
enforcement,” United States Attorney Matthew Schneider said.
“Given the magnitude of the opioid crisis, the allegations are especially troubling that this defendant was actively helping drug dealers evade police detection and distribute large quantities of poisonous drugs.”
