Public Employees Charged For Sports Betting

Flat Rock police Sgt., Trenton employee accused of running sports gambling ring
Sgt. Charles Sanders, Kevin Sargent face federal racketerring charges

FLAT ROCK, Mich. - A Flat Rock police sergeant is accused of running a sports gambling ring with a Trenton Public Works employee.

Police Sgt. Charles Sanders Jr., 46, of Gibraltar, and Kevin Sargent, 35, of Grosse Ile, were arrested and arraigned Wednesday morning on federal racketeering charges. Sanders and Sargent, who is a Trenton Public Works employee, are accused of running a gambling ring.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said the duo's ring included bets on professional and college football games conducted during city time with taxpayer money.

"Public safety officials who break the law and use taxpayer resources to do it will be brought to justice," said Schuette in a news release. "To restore public integrity and protect public safety, this kind of corruption must come to an end. We will hold corrupt officials accountable, wherever they are found."

Schuette's office said Sargent collected the bets on collegiate and professional football games by phone, while Sanders is accused of serving as "the bank" and collecting bets from and remitting winnings to participating gamblers.

Sanders is accused of collecting bets while on duty and at least once while sitting in his squad car. The Attorney General also accuses the two of discussing the details of the illegal betting operation -- specific wagers, point spreads and financial risk -- on taxpayer-funded phones at the Flat Rock Police Department.

Authorities said Sanders and Sargent's gambling ring was discovered during an investigation into an unrelated public citizens complaint that began in February.

"When we pulled up the phone recording we discovered a conversation with (Sanders). Something illegal was going on," said Flat Rock Police Chief Neal Rossow.

Flat Rock police requested an independent investigation. Michigan State Police and the FBI took over from September to December. An informant, wired for sound, recorded more than one dozen bets that he placed ranging from $50 to $200 each.

"Very disappointing. When you are willing to do it when you're wearing a uniform that another 18 people are wearing so proudly," said Rossow. "It's a tragedy."

Sanders, a 19-year veteran with the force, was born and raised in Flat Rock. His late father served as a police lieutenant for the Flat Rock Police Department.

"It's hard because we are a small home of 19 officers," Rossow said. "And we serve a community of 10,000. I think we have a responsiblity to the community that we keep that public trust we work so hard to get."

Sanders faces several charges including racketeering, misconduct in office, and 14 counts of illegal sports betting.

Sargent is charged with racketeering and 14 counts of illegal sports betting.

Both men received $15,000 personal bail bonds.