Criminal case against fired police chief moves forward.

Former Shelby Police Chief Robert Wilson appears in 78th District Court during his arraignment.
-OCP file photo

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By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.

HART — The criminal case against former Shelby Police Chief Robert Wilson, 62, is set for a motion hearing in 27th Circuit Court, Dec. 5, at 10 a.m.

The case was bound over to circuit court during a preliminary conference in 78th District Court last month.

Wilson’s court-appointed attorney, Timothy Hayes, appeared before Judge Anthony A. Monton during a pretrial hearing in circuit court Monday, Sept. 26. Monton said he had a conference with Hayes and Michigan State Assistant Attorney General Oronde Patterson, who is handling the prosecution. The judge stated that Hayes has filed a motion to quash information pertaining to one of the counts Wilson is facing based on proceedings that occurred in district court, and the transcripts from the district court hearing will be reviewed in the meantime.

Wilson faces six felony charges, one of which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, due to allegedly performing fraudulent vehicle inspections. Judge H. Kevin Drake ruled in district court last month that there was sufficient evidence to move the matter up to the higher court.

Wilson faces one count of embezzlement $50,000-$100,000, which is a 15-year felony, and five counts of motor vehicle code – false certification, each of which are punishable by up to five years in prison.

Wilson was fired by the Shelby Village Council with a 5-1 vote last January following an internal investigation that revealed that he had allegedly been doing salvage vehicle inspections without notifying the village and without paying the village the money from the inspections.

MSP Detective Sgt. David Johnson of the Hart post conducted the months-long investigation.

Wilson is free on a $10,000/10 percent bond