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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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When Joe Wilson was Sheriff of Genesee County, he was extremely popular. I remember laughing when he called local radio shows with jokes from "one Bullet Joe".
When the forgery scandal regarding concealed pistol permits and "special deputy"badges broke and Joe had to resign,it was a sad time.
The saga started on September 4, 1974, when a clerk recorder named Susan Devernay in the Genesee County Clerk's office noticed the signatures of local police chiefs on the Concealed weapons permits were not authentic. Devernay was employed by the County for 11 years and for 4 of those years she was responsible for reviewing and ensuring the permits were complete for the Concealed Weapons Licensing board meetings. Thus she was familiar with the proper signatures . |
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Sun Nov 20, 2016 4:43 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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About two months prior, Devernay contacted Flint Township Police Chief Vane King about a signature that seemed invalid. King confirmed he had not approved the application and asked her to have the applicant reapply and receive the proper signatures.
A second discrepancy occurred shortly after and this time it was an illegitimate signature of Flushing Chief of Police Fay Peek. Devery took her concerns to the Chief Assistant Genesee County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Yuille. Yuille contacted Peek and Devernay was again requested to advise the applicant to reapply.
The concern was heightened when 10 days before the Concealed Weapon Licensing Board meeting Devernay observed 3 applicants with the same address. She went to Yuille and he recognized the address because the individual has previously served a as a reference for another applicant in the past. |
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Sun Nov 20, 2016 4:58 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Randy Ensley was both a Genesee County Commissioner and the Police Chief of Grand Blanc Township. Devernay contacted Ensley at a Board of Commissioner's meeting and Ensley denied the three applicant photocopies were legitimate. On September 3, 1997, Ensley presented the photocopies to D/Sgt Larry Willson Of the Michigan State Police.
Willson had been contacted by D/F/Lt Turbett that at least one of the signatures on the permit, known as a RI-12 had been forged by Genesee County Joe Wilson. Turbett stated there may be other forged signatures. Willson contacted F/Lt Dan Miller, the post commander of the Flint Post of the Michigan State Police. |
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Sun Nov 20, 2016 5:14 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The process has now been changed, but at the time:
" A person residing in an incorporated area of the State of Michigan is required to obtain an approval signature from the local unit of government chief of police prior to submitting an application to carry a concealed weapon to the county sheriff. The sheriff or his representative then does a criminal history check on the applicant, prepares an FBI applicant fingerprint card and certifies that the applicant has fired the weapon to be carried under supervised conditions. A permit to carry concealed pistols is then prepared by the county clerk's office and the entire package is then prepared by the county clerk's office and the entire package is then presented to the Concealed Weapon's Licensing Board. Voting members of the Concealed Weapons Licensing Board are comprised of representatives of the county prosecuting attorney, the county sheriff's department and the Michigan State police. The voting members of the board then revew the package of information presented for the applicant and vote an approval or disapproval for a particular applicant. A license is granted if two of the voting members of the board approve an application." |
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Sun Nov 20, 2016 5:37 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Lt. Victor Martin, assistant post commander of the Flint State Police Post, usually attended the board meetings. Yuille and Martin met with Prosecuting Attorney Arthur A. Busch and the decision was madt that this was possibly a criminal matter and it should be handled by the State Police, Attorney General unit.
Yuille had confronted Sheriff Wilson around 8/26 or 8/27. Wilson's response was "don't worry about it, they will not show up.". Wilson stated he did not remember if he had signed for John Benthall, Burton City Police chief or Doug kennedy, Flushing Township Police. After Yuille advised Wilson how signing another person's name on a document was a felony, Wilson stated he signed for Benthall.
The Chiefs keep copies of all permits they sign and rarely authorize any one else to sign.
Attorney Dennis Lazar contacted Assistant Attorney General Robert Ianni and wanted to arrange for his client to be interviewed by Willson. |
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Sun Nov 20, 2016 6:06 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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By September 9th Willson was in contact wit F/Lt. Ron Lapp from the groveland MSP. Grove had been in contact with the Oakland county and none of the five applicants had applied during the 1/97 thru 5/97 time frame.
Sheriff Wilson conferred with AAG Ianni, who indicated the Attorney General was not interested in prosecuting the applicants as long as they cooperated and were truthful.
The witness names have been whited out. Witness #1 stated he was introduced to Wilson a year prior and the possibility of obtaining a concealed weapon license was discussed in February of 1997. The witness indicated another one of the other four applicants made the arrangements to meet the sheriff and apply for the permit . |
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Sun Nov 20, 2016 6:20 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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On or about 02/18/97 the five applicants traveled in two cars to the Genesee County Sheriff's Department. Three uniformed officers directed he group to a room where one officer advised them what address to use because they needed to be a resident of the county where they applied.
S/A Donovan Motley conducted the interviews with Willson. The witness confided to Motley the group went to Genesee county because they had an "in" with Sheriff Wilson. The witness denied that any additional funds were given other than the $40 dollar processing fee.
The form was not signed before the notary, the applicant never fired the gun or took the gun safety class. The applicant said he saw the Sheriff sign the police Chiefs name and also saw another applicant pay $100 for a "special deputy" badge and ID card. |
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Sun Nov 20, 2016 6:32 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Attorney David Warren contacted the investigators after a failed attempt to connect with an applicant. Warren insisted on contacting AAG Ianni for a confirmation that his clients would not be prosecuted.
In an interview the day before one of the applicant's stated he had known the sheriff for a few years ,and while he had been approached to purchase an ad in Wilson's fund raiser birthday book, he had not done so. It was he who called Wilson to discuss obtaining the concealed weapons permits. He also discussed being taken to a conference room with three uniformed deputies. An officer gave the address to be used but Wilson was in the room. He wrote a check to pay for everyone but the others reimbursed him later. The only exchange of money was the processing fee. He asked because of his friendship with Wilson.
A Livingston County resident who owned a business in Genesee County applied here because he was 30 miles from Howell,the county seat and he did not know anyone there who could help him. |
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Sun Nov 20, 2016 7:12 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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A female from the Sheriff Department called to tell him not to use his business address, so he used the address of a friend. He prepared the application, took it to the sheriff department and paid the fee. He followed none of the rules.
The applicant donated often to Wilson's campaign and buys a small ad in the birthday book. His application was not processed.
FBI S/A Wintrode joined the interviewers Willson and Motley for the next interview.The application was dropped off at the sheriff department and Wilson signed his portion. The applicant did not see Wilson sign any place else. The individual stated he has not not gotten a police chief signature since 1974, however he has had township supervisors sign some applications. He has campaigned for Wilson, but never received any pay fo campaigning.
Three years ago he applied at Flint Township for he chief's signature and was told to wait several days. He took the application to the sheriff instead and was told not to worry about the missing signature. Wilson called regarding the new application and told the applicant to "tell the truth". Status remained open for further interviews. |
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Sun Nov 20, 2016 7:33 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Willson and Motley interviewed an applicant who stated he handled large amounts of cash and conducted business in "seedy" areas of Flint, He had attended a campaign fundraiser for Sheriff Wilson in 1994 and asked about a concealed weapon permit. He was told to come in but not to use his PO box as an address. He used his business address because that was where he would be carrying the gun. He also did not follow the rules for a permit and used a Flint attorney and and a person from state government.
He also bought a "special deputy badge" and ID, It was not until he bought his gun at Guns Galore that he found out he should have had Sheriff McIntyre of Saginaw County sign his permit because that is where he lived. |
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Mon Nov 21, 2016 4:54 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Attorney David Warren brought in a client who described $200 a head campaign fundraiser that included food and "special deputy badges" About 50 were in attendance and an older white male, who possibly worked as a deputy, took them to a room for photos for the badges. Everyone applied for the badge.
Warren's other client said the fee was $300 but he had negotiated to attend and possibly still get a badge. He described the strippers at the party as white females about 30 years old. The older male deputy told the attendee he was close to retirement. This individual described another individual who did not have to pay to attend or get th badge.
This individual had a restricted concealed weapon permit in Oakland County and Wilson promised to upgrade. |
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Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:08 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Warren's client was part of a group that went to the Sheriff Department when their badges were ready.After a tour of the Sheriff Department, someone in the group inquired about concealed weapon permits. Wilson then took the group to a conference room where hey completed the applications.
The interviewee described a 5 minute discussion about who was to use which deputy's address on the applications. Wilson said two of the voters would not be a problem as they were his. He advised one of the applicants to state he would be opening a business in Genesee County, although he had no such intentions.
The badge was used to avoid a traffic ticket in Pontiac and Southfield and to get preferential treatment while waiting in line to enter a bar. |
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Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:20 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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An interview was conducted at the Brighton MSP by Willson and FBI S/A Wintrode. The individual being interviewed described being contacted by someone acquainted with Sheriff Wilson in July of 1996, that the sheriff could make a concealed weapon permit available.This individual went to the Sheriff Department, paid $100 and got the special deputy badge and holder. Wilson was not there. In November 1996 he paid $10 to a secretary to renew the card after the election.
The badge holder was also invited to the party held in January or February of 1997. There was to be food, alcoholic beverages and strippers at he party. The cost was $300, but because this individual already had his badge the cost was $200.. The interviewee paid $200 to attend and a friend he brought paid $300. The party was from noon to about 6 p.m..
He was part of a group that went to the Sheriff department to get the badges, apply for concealed weapons permits and got instructions on what address to use. |
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Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:41 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Sheriff Wilson described the permit process and said his vote and the Prosecutor's vote would not be a problem.
The group was fingerprinted by a white female and a black female in civilian clothes. The white female questioned the applicant about his address and when she noticed his confusion said"Oh, I know what's going on". The white female then received a phone call and told the caller "Yeah, I figured it out."
This badge holder really got his moneys worth out of the badge. He used it to avoid 5 or 6 speeding tickets, got preferential treatment while standing in line at bars, and used the badge at the Buick Open Golf Tournament. He was challenged by a tournament official and had his badge seized after he entered a secure area. Sheriff Wilson, in a subsequent telephone call, advised him that a warrant for the individual had been considered over his attempted use of the badge at the tournament. Wilson said he could not return the badge. |
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Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:55 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Attorney David Warren and another client met with D/Sgt Willson , MSP , S/A Motley and S/A Wintrode, FBI, in Warren's office. Warren's client was provided with a copy of the immunity agreement drafted by the Michigan Attorney General's Office, Criminal Division.
The client met Sheriff Wilson in late 1996, Through his employment, the client became aware of the Genesee County special deputy Id and he wanted one. He went with two others to the Genesee County Sheriff Department in January of 1997 and met Wilson. He was not allowed to pay for the badge with a check and he had no cash at he time for the roughly $100 fee. He was not sure if he paid for the badge.
Because they were out of badges and cases, Warren's client had to return a second time. He brought a passport photo of his sister and was allowed to purchase a badge for her. His sister told him she used it to void tickets. |
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Mon Nov 21, 2016 6:11 am |
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