Joseph Andrew Cada (Michigan Department of Attorney General)
A Macomb County sheriff's deputy accused of helping a New Baltimore woman avoid court-ordered breathalyzer tests has been charged in connection with the alleged scheme by the Michigan Attorney General's Public Integrity Unit.
Deputy Joseph Andrew Cada, 45, of Chesterfield Township, surrendered to authorities Wednesday and was arraigned before Magistrate Andra Dudley on a felony obstruction of justice count. He was released on a $10,000 personal bond.
Attorney General Bill Schuette's office alleges that Cada and Trista Leigh-Ann Caswell, 28, conspired to mislead the probation department in the 52-1 District Court in Novi into believing that she passed five breathalyzer tests after she originally missed taking several in-home tests and failing another, a statement from the state attorney's office says.
Caswell had been ordered in 2011 to take the tests as part of her probation terms for a disorderly person conviction.
The scheme was allegedly concocted at an adult entertainment establishment in Mount Clemens, where Caswell worked.
Five of the fraudulent statements — submitted to Caswell's probation officer in October — were signed by Cada. Three of them listed his badge number.
Caswell told District Judge Robert Bondy in November that Cada's statements were false. She was sentenced to 90 days in Oakland County Jail for her probation violation.
Caswell was also charged in the scheme. Arrangements for her surrender for arraignment are pending.
The charges came following an investigation involving the FBI-led Detroit Public Corruption Task Force and the Novi Police Department.
Since the public integrity unit was established in 2011, 227 charges have been filed, and 99 convictions made against 18 defendants, the Attorney General's Office said.
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