DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit principal has turned down a plea deal in an alleged bribery scheme and wants to go to trial for accepting more than $40,000 from a contractor over 14 years.
A federal judge warned Josette Buendia about the possible consequences Wednesday. If convicted, her prison sentence could be longer than what prosecutors offered.
Defense attorney Kim Stout says Buendia didn’t spend the money on herself. Stout says it was used for students at Bennett Elementary School. Trial is set for Dec. 12.
Thirteen people have pleaded guilty, including 11 Detroit principals and the contractor, Norman Shy.
The government says bogus invoices were submitted for paper and other supplies. In exchange, principals received gift cards, cash and checks from Shy. The alleged scheme cost the Detroit district nearly $3 million.
- Posted November 07, 2016
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Detroit principal chooses trial in corruption case
headlines Macomb
- Toasting three decades of success
- Local businesses receive $10,000 in grants courtesy of 2025 Shop Local Macomb campaign
- Conspiracy to commit first degree murder charge added to Dawn Huffman
- Scam alerts focus of Holiday Consumer Protection Campaign
- Nessel secures court victory for wind energy permitting
headlines National
- The business of successfully running an in-house department
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- Justice Gorsuch writes children’s book about ‘Heroes of 1776’
- Companies use ‘deceitful tactics’ to market harmful ultra-processed products with ‘addictive nature,’ city’s suit alleges
- Lawyer accused of trying to poison her husband
- ‘Lawyers Gone Wild’? Filmmaker criticizes bar as he seeks ethics probe of serial killer’s daughter for alleged lie
