COP GUILTY IN FALSE ARREST

Detroit Officer May Help in Wider Corruption Case

A Detroit police officer pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor
charge Friday in what could be a major break in a Detroit police
corruption case.

Officer Hubert Brown, 37, admitted in a plea deal with federal
prosecutors that he deprived Tracy Marie Brown of her civil rights on
May 2, 2000, by writing a bogus police report to justify her false
arrest on drug charges.

Officer Brown, who is not related to the woman, also admitted lying at
the woman's preliminary examination. She was bound over for trial in
Wayne County Circuit Court, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18
months of probation.

Brown said he fabricated the police report at the behest of Police
Officers Matthew Zani and Chrisopher Ruiz. Brown said Zani also
testified falsely at the preliminary exam.

Zani, 36, and Ruiz, 29, now of Tampa, Fla., are among 17 Detroit
police officers from the 3rd (Vernor) and 4th (Fort-Green) precincts
who were indicted in June for allegedly stealing money, drugs and guns
from drug dealers in southwest Detroit during 2002-03. Zani and Ruiz
are central figures in the case. An 18th police officer was indicted
last month.

The officers, who pleaded not guilty, also are accused of planting
evidence and falsifying police reports on several victims, some of
whom were imprisoned for crimes they didn't commit, federal
prosecutors said.

The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office reviewed the cases and said in
August that the alleged victims had conned investigators.

On Friday, Brown became the 19th officer to be charged. He is the
first to plead guilty. Under the terms of the deal, he must cooperate
with federal prosecutors and is expected to testify against other
defendants. Investigators say they hope his decision will persuade
other defendants to cooperate.

The trial for the others is set to begin in January.

Brown said in the plea deal that he and Zani entered a home in the
5600 block of Central without a warrant or the permission of the
people inside and arrested the woman.

He said he later filed a report indicating she was arrested outside
the home and had a baggie of suspected cocaine.

Court papers say Zani improperly fondled the woman and Ruiz and Zani
stole $1,242 from her.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Engstrom wouldn't comment on the case
Friday.

The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said Friday it would review
Brown's information to determine whether anyone was wrongly convicted
or imprisoned.

Under the terms of Friday's deal, Brown faces up to 12 months in
prison.

But Engstrom and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bullotta could
recommend a shorter sentence if he provides substantial assistance to
the government. No sentencing date has been set.

Brown, a member of a special narcotics enforcement squad, has been
suspended with pay, according to the police department.