West Bloomfield Police Officer, Ex-Con Charged In Ticket Scheme

[+EdwardGlen]

fyi;

 

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2011/03/30/news/doc4d91fe8c7a2e4424676695.txt?viewmode=fullstory

 

Officer Jeffrey Pindzia, 38, was led into court Tuesday wearing dress clothes and handcuffs for an arraignment before 48th District Court Judge Diane D’Agostini in Bloomfield Township. Also in the courtroom was his co-defendant, 31-year-old Rudi Gammo, wearing a blue jail house jumpsuit.

 

Pindzia was charged with a common law offense and conspiracy to commit a common law offense, Oakland County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Paul Walton said.

 

Gammo, a convicted felon who was discharged from probation in May 2010, was charged with conspiracy to commit a common law offense.

 

D’Agostini cited his criminal history, which included assault and drug convictions, and his potential for jumping bail in giving him a $100,000 cash or surety bond. He is required to wear a GPS tether if released.

 

His attorney, Farris Haddad, had argued against a bond. Gammo is an expecting father, steadily employed and is living with family members in Franklin.

 

Gammo also has businesses in Arizona and Florida.

 

“I don’t understand why I’m the flight risk,” Gammo told the court in protest of the bond. “I’ve always shown up for court.”

 

Pindzia, a 17-year veteran officer, was given a bond of $20,000 but can be released by posting 10 percent.

 

He has no criminal history.

 

The charges against the officer accuse him of misconduct of office, essentially ticket fixing, Walton said.

 

The incident was alleged to have happened between Nov. 21, 2010 and Dec. 15, 2010.

 

Gammo was to be paid $2,000 by a West Bloomfield resident for Pindzia to get rid of some tickets, Walton said.

 

The allegations were investigated by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

 

Pindzia’s attorney, Mitchell Ribitwer, said his client denies the allegations, but the two men did “have some idea of each other.”

 

“As far as we knew, it was an isolated incident,” West Bloomfield Police Chief Michael Patton said.

 

“This is totally counter to the expectations we have — and the public has — for this department.

 

“Any allegation of unethical or illegal behavior are investigated and never tolerated,” he said.

 

Gammo was on probation for two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder for an incident that happened in 2004.

 

He was sentenced in 2006 to serve up to 10 years in prison but released May 2010.

 

Pindzia has been relieved of duty but is still employed, said Patton.

 

“Criminal allegations are just that, they are not proof,” he said. “We do have to afford the officer due process.”

 

Contact staff writer Shaun Byron at 248-745-4685 or shaun.byron@oakpress.com. Staff writer Carol Hopkins contributed to this report.