Bill T. Jones/
Arnie Zane Company

jews in the d

A Letter to My Nephew

Bribery Charges

ONE NIGHT ONLY! Saturday, October 27 at 7:30 PM
at the Detroit Opera House

Detroit Councilman Leland
indicted on three counts.

RONELLE GRIER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

D

Considered one of the
most powerful influences
in the dance-theatre world!

TICKETS:

MichiganOpera.org
PSȽȴȽƲȾȽȺƲȺȩȻȩ

2018 – 2019 Dance Season Sponsor

Mature subject matter,
discretion advised.

Presented in partnership with
University Musical Society

GET RID OF THICK
FUNGUS TOENAILS

We are pleased to announce that we have the

Cutera GenesisPlus Laser.

It is indicated for fungal toe nails, warts and scars.

Before

After

FROM NOW TO END OF
THE YEAR

$99 .

FO O T C A R
E
LY

FA M

C

W6

U

H

)

RR

SHFL

 

38

Only one coupon or discount per patient.
Can not be combined with any other discount.
Appointment necessary.

,P

I

00

D OLV W V : K R

&D

FDA approved laser for toe nail fungus
Maintenance program included
Before and after pictures on every patient
Better than taking oral medication for nails

! !" # $  
!!!"# 248.945.1000

October 18 • 2018

jn

etroit City Council Member
Gabriel “Gabe” Leland was
indicted Oct. 4 on one
count of conspiracy to commit
bribery and two counts of bribery,
according to court documents and
a statement from U.S.
Attorney Matthew
Schneider. The
charges resulted from
an FBI investigation.
The federal grand
jury indictment stat-
ed that between May
and August 2017,
Leland conspired
with campaign work-
er Elisa Grubbs to
solicit a $15,000 cash
bribe, plus free auto
body work, from the Gabriel Leland
owner of a local auto
repair shop who was involved in a
property dispute with the city.
The indictment alleges that
Leland offered to use his official
position as a member of the Detroit
City Council to help delay or pre-
vent the city’s sale of property the
business owner believed he owned
in exchange for the bribes.
Leland, 36, is charged with taking
a $7,500 cash bribe from the busi-
ness owner on Aug. 4, 2017. The
business owner subsequently filed a
lawsuit against Leland, alleging that
the council member did not hold
up his end of the bargain. Grubbs,
who worked on Leland’s campaign,
was charged for her alleged role in
the conspiracy on Oct. 3.
The indictment details several
discussions Leland had with the
business owner between May and
August 2017, including a meeting
at the downtown Caucus Club,
where Leland acknowledged receiv-
ing $7,500 cash from him.
At a June 8, 2017, meeting of the
Detroit City Council’s Planning and
Economic Development Standing
Committee, which Leland chaired,

he cast the sole vote against plac-
ing the sale of the property on the
city council agenda. At a regular
Detroit City Council session on
June 13, 2017, Leland cast the sole
vote against the sale of the property
by the City of Detroit.
At press time,
Leland’s attorney, Steven
Fishman, was unavail-
able for comment.
In a news confer-
ence on Oct. 9, Leland
announced he “is inno-
cent until proven guilty”
and plans to conduct
“business as usual.”
When asked whether
Leland would continue
to carry on his duties as
a council member, a rep-
resentative at the Detroit
City Council office said
the council had no comment.
Leland was elected in 2013 to
represent Detroit’s District 7 on the
city’s west side. Last November, he
was re-elected to a second four-
year term. He previously served in
the state House of Representatives.
He is the son of the late Burton
Leland, former state lawmaker
and Wayne County commissioner,
who died in February of this year.
Leland, who was active at the Isaac
Agree Downtown Synagogue in
Detroit, is the first Jewish member
of the Detroit City Council since
Mel Ravitz, who served from 1982
to 1997.
If convicted of the federal brib-
ery and bribery conspiracy counts,
Leland could face up to 10 years
in prison and a $250,000 fine on
each bribery count and up to five
years and a $250,000 fine on the
conspiracy count, amounting to a
potential 25-year prison sentence
and $750,000 in fines.
The case will be heard by Judge
Judith E. Levy of the U. S. Eastern
District of Michigan. ■