Ex-Trooper Latest Snared in Net of FBI Public Corruption Probe

ROYAL OAK, MI — A now-former Michigan State Police trooper from Royal Oak is the latest official snared in the wide net cast by an FBI task force investigating public corruption. Seth Swanson, 31, is accused of pocketing $170,100 in fees paid by salvage companies for vehicle inspections over a five-year period, authorities said Wednesday.

Swanson has been charged with a pair of felonies, embezzlement by a public official over $50, and uttering and publishing. The former trooper is also accused of forging Michigan Secretary of State documents certifying that salvaged vehicles have clean titles.

According to Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, whose office investigated the case with the FBI’s Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force, Swanson falsely certified that he had cleared vehicle information numbers with the Law Enforcement Information Network to verify they hadn’t been reported stolen.

Swanson was arraigned on Wednesday before Chief Judge Michelle Appel of the 45-B District Court in Oak Park. He was released on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond, and was required to surrender his CPL and passport. Swanson waived his preliminary exam. His next court date hasn’t been scheduled.

Under Michigan law, salvage vehicle inspectors are instructed to collect a $100 cash fee that is remitted to the state. Salvage titles are issued for a “distressed vehicles” which cannot be plated or used on public roads until they are recertified by a specially trained police officer and retitled.

Swanson, a salvage vehicle inspector for the state police since 2011, is accused of pocketing the fees from 1,701 vehicle inspections from August 2014 to December 2015.

Swanson was suspended without pay, effective Feb. 10, 2016, and resigned from the Michigan State Police on Monday, Oct. 24.

“Police officers are given great trust and responsibility, and for that reason are held to a higher standard,” Schuette said in a statement. “When you break the trust you are given and in the process break the law, there are consequences, no matter who you are or what your profession.”

The Michigan State Police and Secretary of State Office will work together to ensure that the more than 1,700 vehicles Swanson is accused of signing off on had proper salvage vehicle inspections. This may involve directly contacting the registered owners of vehicles improperly inspected to arrange for a new inspection.

The process of identifying affected vehicles is ongoing, Schuette said.

See Also

• Clinton Township Took Up to $70K for Votes: FBI
• 2nd Macomb Official Snared in FBI Corruption Probe
• Trash Company Exec Resigns Amid FBI Corruption Probe
• Trash Hauler FBI Named in Bribery Scheme Gets Mixed Reception

The FBI’s Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force made two other high-profile arrests in the past week. Elected trustees in Clinton Township and Macomb Township are accused of taking bribes in exchange for votes for large garbage hauling contracts in their municipalities.

The FBI has described its investigation as ongoing and focused on public corruption in southeast Michigan, but primarily Macomb County.

Photo via Office of Michigan Attorney General