3/25/14 - As two of his co-defendants in a corruption case face sentencing next week, a Romulus police officer from Livingston County will head to trial this summer. 52-year-old Richard Balzer of Brighton is among half a dozen Romulus officers who were charged in a corruption probe that included undercover narcotics officers, a former police chief and his wife. Balzer is charged with conducting a criminal enterprise, conspiracy, embezzlement by a public official, uttering and publishing, misconduct in office and neglect of duty. Authorities allege the 25 year department veteran submitted false police reports and fake expense records involving fraudulent undercover work at strip clubs in Romulus and Southgate. Heâs also alleged to have solicited prostitutes. Balzer is set for trial on July 7th along with former Romulus Police Chief Michael St. Andre and two other co-defendants who were arrested in 2012 for engaging in âinappropriate conductâ including allegations that thousands of dollars were stolen from the departmentâs drug forfeiture accounts and that an undercover narcotics team had not been paying informants properly. St. Andreâs wife was previously sentenced to 7 to 20 years in prison for her part in the scheme, while two detectives will be sentenced on Monday for their part. (JK)
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