Ex Macomb County public works head sentenced on extortion charges

Anthony Marrocco gets 90 days in prison for extortion

After pleading guilty to extortion charges, the former head of the Macomb County public works will spend 90 days in prison and 2 years on probation.

PORT HURON, Mich. (FOX 2) - Anthony Marrocco has been sentenced 90 days in federal jail and two years of supervised released for his role in an attempted extortion plot in 2016.

Marrocco was once the drain commissioner of Macomb County but will now spend three months in federal jail after pleading guilty last year to attempted extortion after his sentencing on Thursday.

He'll spend 90 days in a federal jail, spend two years on supervised release, and must pay a $50,000 fine. He's one of nearly two dozen officials and business people convicted in the Macomb County corruption scandal.

His attorney, Steve Fishman, said Marrocco is a good guy and the sentence for the guilty plea is unique.

"I thought it was an interesting and unusual sentence," he said.

Marrocco was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2020 for his role in attempting to shake down Macomb County developers to buy tickets to Marrocco's campaign fundraisers. A long time federal corruption probe caused 23 officials and contractors to be convicted.

Fishman wanted home confinement for the 74-year-old but the judge imposed a sentence that might deter crime and has a lot of conditions - like no internet during his home confinement.

"I don't know about all those conditions. You can't be on the Internet and all that stuff. I have no idea how that's gonna work," Fishman said.

Marocco must report to a federal prison, possibly in Pensacola Florida, by June 15th. Because he pleaded guilty, he cannot appeal the sentence. He may not like the $50,000 fine or three months in prison but he took the deal.