Former City of Dearborn Employee Sentenced for Accepting Bribes

Leticia Bosemon, 38, of Inkster, a former employee of the City of Dearborn Building and Safety Department, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Gerald E. Rosen to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to accepting bribes in return for providing fraudulent performance bonds and temporary certificates of occupancy for residential property in the City of Dearborn.

United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade was joined in the announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Bosemon accepted at least $63,000 in bribes from the fall of 2006 until June, 2008, while working in the City of Dearborn Building and Safety Department. In return, she provided numerous individuals with fraudulent performance bonds and temporary certificates of occupancy.

United States Attorney Barbara McQuade stated, “Citizens have a right to expect honest services from government employees. Ms. Bosemon betrayed her obligation to uphold the public trust by taking these bribes and today's sentence reflects the seriousness of her offense."

The City of Dearborn requires a purchaser of a foreclosed home to either place cash in escrow with the Building and Safety Department or obtain a performance bond in that amount from a private surety company before a temporary certificate of occupancy can be issued. The individuals who paid Bosemon for the fraudulent documents paid her less than they would have been charged by private surety companies for the legitimate performance bonds required by the City of Dearborn.

Ms. McQuade commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dearborn Police Department for their investigation and thanked the City of Dearborn for their cooperation and assistance. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela Thompson