Editors note: On the morning of February 15, the day after this story was published, Judge Denise Page Hood rescheduled Burcroff’s sentencing for the 13th time. No reason was given. His sentencing is now scheduled for April 4.
Romulus’ disgraced former mayor is set to be sentenced Thursday after admitting more than 18 months ago to pocketing at least $15,000 from his campaign fund.
LeRoy Burcroff didn’t seek re-election after a 7 Action News investigation revealed how the former mayor used campaign funds to help pay for part of his daughter’s wedding and membership to a local yacht club.
RELATED: Ex-Romulus mayor pleads guilty to using $15k from campaign fund for personal use
The feds later charged Burcroff with wire fraud, and the ex-mayor pleaded guilty in February of last year.
In their sentencing memorandum, federal prosecutors said Burcroff deserves to spent up to 14 months in prison, saying he used his campaign fund to “enhance his lifestyle.”
The feds say Burcroff bought a $23,000 Ford Focus with campaign funds that he used “extensively for personal purposes”, then later a $27,000 Jeep Wrangler which he used for “similar impermissible personal excursions.”
They say he used nearly $3,600 to cover part of his daughter’s wedding at the Belleville Yacht club and over $4,000 for a trip with his wife and two friends to a Florida luxury hotel.
Burcroff paid with his campaign fund, but the feds say the friends who accompanied him reimbursed the mayor personally for their portion of the vacation which “effectively doubled his money.”
After Channel 7’s original story in 2020, Burcroff reimbursed his campaign to the tune of $35,000.
“If the media hadn’t took the story…would he have stopped?” asked Romulus Councilwoman Virginia Williams. “Would he have put it back?”
Burcroff has asked for leniency from the court, in part because he returned the money in question. But that argument may not work with the judge, legal experts say.
“The analogy is kind of like, ‘Hey I went and robbed the bank,’ but if you paid the money back to the bank, that doesn’t mean you should be punished any less. It means you got caught,” said former U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider.
The feds say the sentencing guidelines call for an 8-14 month term behind bars, and they’re pushing for the max.
But criminal defense attorney Anjali Prasad says Romulus taxpayers would be better served by a sentence of probation.
“I think the better solution is service work in the community,” she said. “I know it’s not a popular thing to say, but with these white collar crimes, I just don’t think incarceration is the answer.”
Councilwoman Virginia Williams will be in court Thursday, and says she’s hoping Judge Denise Page Hood hands down the maximum sentence.
“The only way politicians will stop doing as they have been doing is to be made an example,” Williams said.
Burcroff’s sentencing is scheduled for 10 AM.
“Let’s be clear,” Schneider said. “I don’t think we’d be in this position without Channel 7 bringing these facts to light and explaining what happened and how this defendant used this money."
Wednesday afternoon, Burcroff's attorney Walter Piszczkatowski issued a statement in advance of his client's sentencing:
“LeRoy Burcroff has always given 100% of his best efforts to the City of Romulus. He turned the city around which, before his tenure, had experienced police and fire layoffs, furloughed city employees, closed parks, and a city hall that had to be closed during the lunch hour. As everyone is aware, LeRoy is no longer mayor, but as his supporters and former fellow employees will say, he has always been a great steward of city tax dollars and of the city’s operating budget. In fact, during his tenure as mayor, the city realized record economic development. LeRoy gave nearly a quarter century of dedicated and honorable service to his hometown – a fact which no one that truly knows him will dispute. He is someone who has always supported many different charities, including schools, sports teams, local churches, and non-profits (such as the Boys & Girls Club). He has not only given extensively of his time, but has raised tens of thousands of dollars for charitable causes. It is also important to remember that none of the money at issue here involved public funds or city tax dollars. Finally, as you and I have discussed we are certain that the guideline range as contemplated by the government in its last filing is incorrect due to recent amendments, and given LeRoy’s stellar personal history and character, I intend to ask the Court for a sentence of probation. Thank you.”
Contact 7 Investigators Ross Jones ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466.