Benny Napoleon

Benny N. Napoleon
Candidate for Detroit Mayor, Benny Napoleon (center), with participants at Hotter Than July 2013 in Detroit Michigan's Palmer Park
Wayne County Sheriff
Assumed office
July 6, 2009
Preceded by Warren Evans
Personal details
Born 1955 (age 62–63)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Lisa Cunningham (divorced)
Alma mater Mercy College of Detroit
Detroit College of Law (J.D.)
Profession Police officer
Website bennynapoleon.com

Benny Napoleon (born 1955) is an American police officer and politician who is the current Sheriff of Wayne County, Michigan, and a 2013 candidate for the office of Mayor of Detroit.

Napoleon graduated from Cass Technical High School. He entered the Detroit Police in 1975, and rose through the ranks. He served as police chief from 1998-2001 under Dennis Archer. In 2004 he was made Assistant Wayne County Executive, and in 2009 he became Wayne County Sheriff.[1]

Political career

In 2012, Brian Banks falsely claimed to be an attorney, leading Napoleon to endorse him.[2] Napoleon’s spokesman Dennis Niemiec said the Napoleon was unaware of Banks’ felony convictions[3] and Napoleon said he did not previously know about Banks' felonies.

2013 Detroit Mayoral election

A Democrat, Napoleon entered Detroit politics in 2013, announcing his intentions to run for mayor in the city's non-partisan primary to replace Dave Bing, who announced he would not seek re-election after the appointment of an emergency manager for the city.[4][5] During the primary campaign, he referred to himself as a "businessman with a badge" . Napoleon placed second in the primary despite his most serious competition[6], former Wayne County Prosecutor and Detroit Medical Center CEO Mike Duggan having to run as a write-in candidate,[7] and lost the mayoral race to Mike Duggan on November 5, 2013.[8]

FBI investigation

In December 2017, the Detroit Free Press obtained FBI wiretap transcripts that were unsealed in U.S. District Court. The investigation is linked to a corruption case against Gasper Fiore, the owner of Boulevard & Trumbull Towing, a large City of Detroit contractor. In December 2017, Fiore entered into a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office, in which he agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.[9]

According to court documents, the government has probable cause that Fiore and 17 other targets were involved in several crimes, including: extortion, wire fraud, bribery and conspiracy to distribute marijuana.[10] FBI Special Agent Robert Beeckman wrote in a wire tap request document reviewed by the Detroit News that "Evidence has been gathered showing that crimes involving corruption have been committed by some of the target subjects, including...Napoleon...."[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Bio of Benny Napoleon". Huffington Post.
  2. ↑ "8-Time Felon From Detroit Seeks Michigan House Seat". CBS.
  3. ↑ "Candidate for Michigan House seat is eight-time felon". WLMI.
  4. ↑ Matt Helms (March 26, 2013). "Benny Napoleon kicks off bid to be Detroit's next mayor". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Bing won't seek re-election as Detroit mayor". The Big Story. Archived from the original on 2013-06-25.
  6. ↑ Sarah Cwiek & Steve Carmody (August 7, 2013). "Duggan makes history with winning write-in campaign; Napoleon rallies supporters". Michigan Radio. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Mike Duggan will run for Detroit mayor as write-in candidate". FOX 2 Detroit. June 28, 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-06-25.
  8. ↑ Ashley Woods (November 6, 2013). "Mike Duggan Becomes Detroit's First White Mayor In 40 Years". Huffington Post. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  9. ↑ Tresa Baldas and Keith Matheny (29 December 2017). "FBI wiretaps reveal how towing titan Fiore built his empire". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  10. ↑ Tresa Baldas and Keith Matheny (29 December 2017). "FBI wiretaps reveal how towing titan Fiore built his empire". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  11. ↑ Violet Ikonomova (29 December 2017). "Reports: Detroit city councilman and former state rep. targeted in public corruption probe". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
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