DETROIT (WWJ) -- A former Madison District Public Schools President will spend nearly four years behind bars after accepting MILLIONS in bribes.
United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced Thursday that 62-year-old Albert Morrison was sentenced to 45 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to accepting bribes from a local contractor and tax evasion.
Prosecutors say Morrison received more than $561,000 in bribes from Emergency Restoration President John David in exchange for millions of dollars in construction contracts.
While Morrison was President of the Madison District Public Schools Board of Education from 2012-2018, David was one of the owners of the building maintenance and reconstruction company that was awarded over $3.1 million maintenance and construction projects in the Madison District Public Schools.
To keep the payments secret from the school board and the community, Morrison denied having any financial ties to David or Emergency Restoration when publicly confronted at a Madison District school board meeting.
The two men had actually been long-time friends.
Morrison also failed to disclose to State of Michigan auditors the
payments he received from David.
Morrison did not declare to the IRS David’s payments as income in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, or 2018. By not declaring the payments, Morrison avoided paying approximately $118,200 in taxes.
“Today’s sentence underscores our continued insistence that our trusted public officials hold themselves to the highest standards of integrity and honesty. It sends a clear message that when public officials break that trust, they will be held accountable,” U.S. Attorney Ison said in a written statement.
“This sentence ensures that school officials will put the interests of our children first and that those who accept bribes and evade paying taxes will answer for their crimes.”
Prosecutors say Morrison spent the money on personal luxuries such as vacations in Florida, a boat slip, shopping sprees and a pricey Chevrolet Camaro.
“Mr. Morrison abused his position of trust for personal gain, and with today’s action, will now be held accountable for cheating those he promised to serve – Madison’s school children and their families,” Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Regional Office, John Woolley, said in the statement.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Woolley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, Cheyvoryea Gibson, and Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Detroit Field Office.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message that financial fraud by our public officials will not be tolerated, especially when it’s at the expense of the children in our communities,” Miller added in the written statement.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, and the Department of Education.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Resnick Cohen, Karen Reynolds, and Gjon Juncaj.