Defendant sentenced in ticket bribery scheme

DETROIT (AP) - An acquaintance of a former Detroit court clerk will spend six months in jail as part of his two-year probation for his role in a scheme that exchanged cash for dismissing traffic tickets.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced the punishment Tuesday for 44-year-old Charles Fair. Fair was sentenced Monday and also ordered to pay $2,638 in restitution to 36th District Court.

Fair earlier pleaded guilty to forgery.

Authorities have said about $20,000 in bribes were taken to dismiss more than $40,000 in tickets and fines. Names of four court judges were forged. The judges were not aware of the dismissals.

Annette Bates, an ex-36th District Court clerk, was ordered in February to serve four years of probation and pay $10,000 in restitution.

Published: Thu, Mar 17, 2016