(WXYZ) — Richmond Police Chief Tom Costello was acquitted by a jury after he was charged with intentionally misusing Michigan's LEIN law enforcement computer network system.
Costello had originally pleaded no contest to the charge but withdrew his plea after a judge sentenced him to jail, which was not part of the plea agreement.
“He’s never going to get this day back. He spent a day behind bars and didn’t deserve to do that. It’s a travesty of justice,” Costello's attorney, Art Weiss, said at the time of the plea withdrawal.
With the request to withdraw the plea, Costello and his attorney also requested a new judge take the case.
Costello has been the chief since March 2022 after he worked 20 years in the Center Line Police Department. He was placed on leave for a time after the allegations came to light.
The Richmond City County and City Manager put Costello back on the job effective September 1, 2022.
