Michigan Messenger » Five years http://michiganmessenger.com The Michigan Messenger is a local news site covering politics and policy throughout Michigan. Its team delivers original reporting daily. The Michigan Messenger is published by the nonpartisan and nonprofit group American Independent News Network. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:36:23 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Synagro rep. gets maximum sentence for bribery charges http://michiganmessenger.com/30172/synagro-rep-gets-maximum-sentence-for-bribery-charges http://michiganmessenger.com/30172/synagro-rep-gets-maximum-sentence-for-bribery-charges#comments Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:43:58 +0000 Minehaha Forman http://michiganmessenger.com/?p=30172 Businessman Rayford Jackson, who was convicted this year of bribing city councilwoman Monica Conyers in 2007, will serve five years in prison, the Detroit Free Press reported late Friday afternoon. Five years was the maximum sentence that came with his guilty plea.

U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn sentenced Jackson, and is set to sentence Conyers on Jan. 15, the same day Jackson is to report to prison.

Jackson is the first to be sentenced in the Synagro waste disposal scandal, which started when Conyers accepted a bribe of at least $6,000 in exchange for a deciding vote in favor of a $1.2 billion sludge hauling contract between the city and Synagro.

Although Jackson got the maximum sentence, his prison time could be shortened if he cooperates with the ongoing investigation, Judge Cohn said.

If Cohn is consistent in handing down heavy sentences, Conyers could get the same punishment has her co-conspirator: five years behind bars.

Former Michigan Synagro executive James Rosendall faces sentencing on Nov. 30.

]]> http://michiganmessenger.com/30172/synagro-rep-gets-maximum-sentence-for-bribery-charges/feed 0