Former Detroit City Councilman Andre Spivey was sentenced to two years in prison in a bribery case today, the Detroit Free Press reported.
The former city leader was sentenced in federal court, which is a part of an ongoing investigation of corruption in Detroit.
Spivey resigned from the Detroit City Council last fall– right after pleading guilty to accepting bribes from a contractor, according to a Detroit News article.
Spivey is the second councilman to be convicted of a felony in 2021 alone during an FBI probe, according to the story.
Former City Councilman Gabe Leland also faced his own legal issues after he pled guilty to misconduct while serving on the Detroit City Council, which he resigned from in May.
During his trial on Wednesday, Spivey requested probation from U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts, who said a prison sentence was the correct route to take to, partially, encourage other elected officials to not go down the same road.
“This wasn’t a mild case of corruption,” Roberts said as reported in the article. “The court believes there is no public official who would respect the law that says it is illegal to take bribes if Mr. Spivey walked out of this courtroom with no jail time.”
Federal prosecutors advised that Spivey, 47, serve 40 months in prison.
Before sentencing, Spivey acknowledged his wrongdoing.
“I still believe in reclamation and second chances and when I look in the mirror, I still believe in myself. I ask this court to believe in me, too,” Spivey said.
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