A federal judge has accepted a plea deal for former Detroit Police Deputy Chief Celia Washington plea deal during a second hearing on Monday afternoon.
Washington admitted to accepting $3,000 from Detroit towing titan Gasper Fiore but did not at first admit to the crime of Conspiracy to Commit Bribery. She said it was a loan that she intended to pay back and that she was not in a position to help Fiore get more towing business from the city of Detroit.
Judge David Lawson asked her several questions first said, “I don’t see it.” The judge then put the hearing in recess while Washington met with her Attorney Arnold Reed.
After about an hour, back in court Washington read a short prepared statement in which she said soon after accepting the cash she realized Fiore wanted her help but she did nothing to help. She also said she spent a portion of the money. The judge them accepted her guilty plea.
Washington was a civilian deputy police chief until she resigned last summer. The feds say they have her on wiretaps and other evidence that she conspired with Fiore to get him more of the $2 million Detroit towing business.
During the first hearing, Washington said, “I struggled with these options” and she decided to plead guilty because she “can’t risk going to trial,” and can’t risk “a jury trying to reach into my head to determine my intent.” She says she can’t risk being away from her two children, “financially and emotionally.”
Her plea deal is to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, a 5-year felony. The sentencing recommendations would be 18-24 months in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years of supervised release. The government drops a second charge.
