State Criminal Defense
Serious State Crimes, Such as Murder and Assault
Before becoming a federal prosecutor, Michael was a Deputy District Attorney in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. There, he was assigned to the Hard Core Gang Unit where he handled exclusively gang-related homicides. Michael successfully tried over thirty murder cases before juries and judges. As a federal prosecutor in Detroit, Michael investigated and tried a federal death penalty murder case involving the killing of an armored car guard in 2001.
Signature Cases
United States v. Kwame Kilpatrick, et al.:
Michael led a team of agents from the FBI, IRS and EPA in a sweeping investigation into the pay-to-play administration of then Mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick.
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United States v. Charles Rizzo, et al.:
Michael led a wide-ranging FBI investigation of local bribery in Macomb County. This resulted in the bribery conviction of former Rizzo Environmental Services CEO Charles Rizzo and scores of others.
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Michael investigated and prosecuted Eric Smith, then the sitting elected Prosecutor for Macomb County.
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United States v. Anthony Marrocco
After leading a lengthy investigation involving agents from the FBI and IRS, Michael obtained an indictment of the former Macomb County Department of Public Works Director Anthony Marrocco.
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United States v. Richard Sollars
Michael investigated and obtained the indictment of City of Taylor mayor Richard Sollars, on bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud charges.
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United States v. Monica Conyers
Michael investigated and obtained an indictment of then Detroit City Councilmember Monica Conyers, on bribery charges. Conyers later pleaded guilty.
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Michael investigated and prosecuted former Detroit City Councilman Alonzo Bates for extortion and theft of government funds. Bates was charged with having “ghost employees”
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United States v. Cierre Campbell
Campbell was a Detroit Police officer who, at the advent of the internet, was filming drug addicts in the Detroit area using illegal narcotics and placing it on his pay website called “Streets Illustrated.”
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Michael successfully investigated and prosecuted Celia Washington, Deputy Chief of Police of the Detroit Police Department. The case ended with guilty pleas to bribery conspiracy charges...
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