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Contractor facing prison time for bribing former Madison Heights school board president

CBS News Detroit Digital Brief for August 15, 2023
CBS News Detroit Digital Brief for August 15, 2023 02:34

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A local contractor is facing time in federal prison for bribing a former school board president for Madison District Public Schools, officials announced. 

John David, 65, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery (from 2014 through 2018) and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. 

According to the U.S. attorney's office, David owned a building maintenance and reconstruction company called Emergency Restoration, also known as Emergency Reconstruction. 

The company was awarded $3.1 million in construction projects in the Madison Heights school district.

David admitted to paying Albert Morrison, the former school board president, who pocketed $561,000 in this bribery scheme. Morrison pleaded guilty on April 25 and is set to be sentenced on Aug. 28. 

"Mr. David received work from the Madison District Public School Board by bribing someone in a position of power which corrupted the process by which contracts were awarded," said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office. "The FBI, IRS, and Department of Education Office of Inspector General will continue to work cooperatively to hold defendants like this one accountable for their crimes."  

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