WOOD TV (Michigan): Fmr cop admits guilt in corruption case

[Heidi]

Maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, $250K fine

Published : Wednesday, 09 Sep 2009, 9:41 AM EDT

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (WOOD) - A former Benton Harbor police officer has pleaded guilty in connection with a corruption investigation with his past employer.

Bernard Hall Jr., 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the civil rights of Benton Harbor residents, according to the Department of Justice. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

Hall was taken into custody July 17.

He was head of the narcotics unit with the Benton Harbor Police Department at the time of the alleged incidents. He was the supervisor of other officers in the unit, including former officer Andrew Thomas Collins.

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Count one of the indictment alleges Hall and Collins falsified search warrant affidavits, obtained search warrants without probable cause, embezzled funds from BHPD, filed false police reports and unlawfully seized and misappropriated people's money and personal property for their own personal use.

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