(WXYZ) — Former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith has pled guilty to three felonies charges in a public corruption investigation.
In a hearing Tuesday before an Oakland County judge appointed by the State Court Administrative Office to oversee the case, Smith pled guilty to:
- One count of Official Misconduct in Office, a five-year felony;
- One count of Tampering with Evidence in a Civil Proceeding, a four-year felony; and
- One count of Conspiracy to Commit Forgery, a 14-year felony.
As part of the plea, he admitted to misusing public funds. Under the plea, Smith will have to pay $25,000 in restitution to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office’s Drug and Operating While Intoxicated Forfeiture accounts. At sentencing, the Court is also expected to order forfeiture of a significant portion of Smith’s pension at sentencing.
At today’s hearing, Smith admitted to misusing public funds, thereby acting with corrupt intent in the exercise of his office as the elected Prosecutor. Smith began working in the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office in 1993, was first elected Prosecutor in 2004, and resigned as Prosecutor in March 2020 following criminal charges filed by the Attorney General.
Smith will be sentenced on September 6th. He is already serving a 21-month sentence after pleading guilty to related charges in federal court.
