Detroit City Councilman Gabe Leland charged with misconduct in office
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit City Councilman Gabe Leland was charged Friday with one count of misconduct in office.
According to the Monroe County Prosecutor, who filed the charges because of conflicts in the Wayne County Prosecutor's office, Leland accepted payments to influence his vote on city matters in January 2018.
Leland was also indicted on charges of bribery and conspiracy in federal court in October 2018.
Earlier that year, a Detroit business owner told FOX 2 that Leland demanded free drinks, free food, and free admission to his club in return for a promise to get city officials off his back. That was the second such claim in the same year against Leland after another business owner, Bob Carmack, sued Leland, claiming the councilman demanded $15,000 in cash to help with his re-election campaign.
Leland has denied any wrongdoing and said when the federal charges were filed that he was looking forward to his trial.
Leland is a former state representative who, after a brief spell in the private sector, was elected to represent District 7 in 2013. He was narrowly re-elected in 2017.
He was the highest-ranking official to be charged with public corruption since former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
The federal charges carry a penalty up to 10 years in federal prison. The state charge carries a 5 years in prison and $10,000 fine