Milan's newest residents?: Judge orders Kwame Kilpatrick, Bobby Ferguson directly to federal prison
Editor's note: This story was edited at 4:08 p.m. to indicate that Kilpatrick could be held in Milan or a county jail.
- Previous coverage: Jury convicts Kwame Kilpatrick on raft of corruption charges
A judge has ordered former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and former city contractor Bobby Ferguson to be sent directly to jail following their conviction Monday on federal crimes related to public corruption.
Kwame Kilpatrick speaks at an event at Eastern Michigan University in 2011. A judge has ordered him straight to federal prison in Milan Monday following his conviction on 24 charges related to public corruption.
Chris Asadian I AnnArbor.com file photo
Kilpatrick and Ferguson were sentenced directly to jail by U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds in a 1:30 p.m. hearing Monday, following a court session earlier that morning in which a jury found Kilpatrick guilty on 24 of 30 charges and Ferguson guilty of nine of 11 charges.
The only federal holding facility for individuals charged with federal crimes in Michigan is the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan, said James Dunn, executive assistant to the warden and detention center administrator for the facility.
Should Kilpatrick and Ferguson not be sent to the Milan facility, they could be held at a county jail, Dunn said.
The Milan federal prison is a low-security prison for men in Michigan, operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons at 4000 Arkona Road in Milan.
As of March 7, there were 1,544 inmates at the facility. It has basketball and tennis courts, horseshoe pits and a softball field.
Kilpatrick has been locked up in the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan before -- he was transferred there in 2010 from the Oaks Correctional Facility near Manistee for easier access to his defense team and research facilities.
Living conditions at the Milan facility are reportedly cleaner, less crowded and have better food, according to media reports.
Follow AnnArbor.com for more information as this story unfolds.
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.
Comments
musicnerdsftw
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 2:48 p.m.
"Milan's Newest Residents" Can we get some polite applause for Amy on the headline.
4Bells
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:23 p.m.
Golf clap.......
concernedmom
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 1:30 p.m.
He was a prince in his mother's mind and in his own head but to the rest of us he is just another convicted felon. Maybe he can sell his expensive clothes and monogrammed gold cuff links to help keep his kids in private schools and to pay for his wife's Cadillac lease. Justice has been served. Apparently Kwame was not able to buy or coerce a favorable legal outcome.
Widow Wadman
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 5:29 p.m.
Didn't she drive a Navigator?
Brad
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 1:28 p.m.
Do not pass GO. Do not try to steal another $200.
nekm1
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 12:49 p.m.
Let's not forget who has the ability to pardon federal prisoners when/before he leaves office. Kwame may be out in 3 1/2 years. It wouldn't surprise me one bit.
nekm1
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 5:37 p.m.
Pay back for the voting block he gets from Detroit residents. I also bet that before all of the Financial Manager stuff is done, Washington will write a check to balance the books. Not fix anything, but again to pacify the voting block. If you recall, former President Clinton pardoned/commuted sentences for over 180 convicted felons, many with worse records then either Kilpatrick or Ferguson.
Peter
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 1:25 p.m.
Why would you think that the president would pardon Kilpatrick?
dexterreader
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 12:43 p.m.
He's very "personable". After all, he still has many supporters (no, I am NOT one of them). But maybe he will make some new "friends" in prison. Kudos to the jury, judge and prosecutors, who stuck it out and had mountains of evidence to sift through!!
GoNavy
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 12:15 p.m.
Crook. See you in 20 years.
dugster
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 3:16 a.m.
I live a mile from the prison. There goes the value of the neighborhood.
townie54
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 2:54 a.m.
If you people would read the article it is a low security prison.It is for tax evaders,ponzi schemes and the like.You wont find many murderers or hard core criminals there.It is for low risk non violent federal lawbreakers.
Tim Hornton
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 1:31 a.m.
"Living conditions at the Milan facility are reportedly cleaner, less crowded and have better food, according to media reports." Thats because it's run by the feds and not the MDOC.
jns131
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 5:52 p.m.
Could send him to Manistee where it is like Detroit burnt out buildings. Dirty and food is not that good.
huh7891
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 1:07 a.m.
Wouldn't a more fitting punishment be to chain him in one of the burned out houses in Detroit and live on bread and water?
Karen
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 12:12 a.m.
He'll enjoy the trains - they go by every night several times a night.
jns131
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 5:51 p.m.
This reminds of a song.........freight train running thru my head. Interesting thought there.
EyeHeartA2
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 12:48 a.m.
If he is lucky, they will just go "by".
walker101
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 11:51 p.m.
Seems like everyone wants to know where the money is, Kk has not worked in over a year, he has not had a decent pay check in years, yet he's still living like someone above his means along with some family members how does he do it, ez to hide cash how else can he and family live the high life. Find the money and pay back the city.
EyeHeartA2
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 11:38 p.m.
"I want to tell you, Detroit, that you done set me up for a comeback" x2
LA kid
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 10:33 p.m.
Do not pass Go. Do not try to extort $200 Go directly to Jail.
Thaddeus
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 12:08 a.m.
Indeed. But in Kilpatrick's case, wouldn't it be more appropriate to say, "Do not try to extort $200,000"....?
Eep
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 10:32 p.m.
I hope the judge remembered to specifically instruct them not to pass "Go" and not to collect $200.
Brad
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 10:19 p.m.
EMU - I hope you are embarrassed for letting this clown speak there in 2011.
jns131
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 5:50 p.m.
But it still stains just the same.
treetowncartel
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 10:27 p.m.
It wasn't EMU. Rather, it was one of their student groups.
John of Saline
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 10:24 p.m.
Not likely.
Solitude
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 10:08 p.m.
If Wayne County residents are lucky, someday soon maybe Bob Ficano and his band of thieves will be Kwame's close neighbors.
Solitude
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 10:05 p.m.
It's a shame they can't string concertina wire around one of formerly proud, now abandoned and falling down homes that resulted from his systematic looting of city funds, and house him there, with no running water and no electricity, so he can live like so many of the impoverished Detroit children he so gleefully stole from. Give him a bucket and drop off a couple of meals a day and let him deal. It's what he deserves.
jns131
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 5:49 p.m.
I thought Meals On Wheels was cutting its services. Interesting but I love this idea.
mady
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 1:27 p.m.
There you go! I'm behind you 110%!!
Usual Suspect
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 10:03 p.m.
I wonder if the next thing is an appeal with a Marion Barryesque "B S M U" defense. Isn't a shoe-bomber also a resident down there?
dugster
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 3:15 a.m.
I think since his conviction he's been transferred elsewhere. Probably someone warm enough that the residents don't wear shoes. While he was in Milan shoes were beginning to dissappear. So the authorities tranferred him for the safety of the shoes of Milan. LOL. Actually though I don't think it was the shoe bomber but the guy who had the bomb in his underwear over metro airport a few years back.
arborani
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 9:57 p.m.
Kudos to the U.S. Attorney and her incredibly hardworking team.
jns131
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 10:20 p.m.
Kudos to the jury who did the right thing and gave Kwame 40 whacks.
JRW
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 9:38 p.m.
Country club prison for this thug felon. Should send him to Rikers Island for a while to mingle with the 14,000 inmates there to get the full experience of incarceration.
walker101
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 9:37 p.m.
For the last 6 years I thought it was a novela or a soap, hard to believe that some still think he would make a great leader somewhere, I guess maybe he and Rod Blagojevich can start campaigning in prison on revamping the democratic party in 2045.
nickcarraweigh
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 9:27 p.m.
Federal charges, federal time. It once was true that federal prisons drew a higher-class convict generally, but last I heard Milan specialized as a youthful offender institution and posted a higher rate than usual of overall surly unruliness. The happy couple likely won't be there long, though, before being transferred elsewhere after evaluation.
rm1
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 9:05 p.m.
Responding to some people's questions. He faces up to 20 years on each of the RICO and extortion counts, and lesser terms on the mail fraud, false tax return, etc. counts. These will likely be imposed concurrently, although the court has the power to make some of them consecutive. Sentencing date is apparently not yet set, but will be some weeks in the future, after the probation department prepares a pre-sentence report. Part of that report will trace the criminal conduct of onto the complex grid of the Federal sentencing guidelines. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Federal_Sentencing_Guidelines In light of the amount of money involved in the crimes, he could be away for a long time indeed. He will likely be in Milan only until shortly after sentencing. The Bureau of Prisons will decide later when he serves his sentence. This is the usual Federal practice. As for the chatter about "country club" persons, and "gee, they got horseshoe pits: whatever else is true, the inmates are in fact "deprived of their liberty" and will be subject to the whim and caprice of prison officials and guards for a very long time. Not at all to be sympathetic to Coleman, a thoroughly corrupt and arrogant guy, richly deserving of a long stretch in prison.
mady
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 1:24 p.m.
thank you rm, well said.
Krupper1
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 11:27 p.m.
I notice you typed "Coleman" rather than "Kwame" . . . in your last paragraph . . . wishful thinking?
rm1
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 9:46 p.m.
Again, lousy software. In default of help from AA.com, you'll have to Google for them.
rm1
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 9:44 p.m.
Either AA.com or I garbled the sentencing guidelines link. Here's another try: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Federal_Sentencing_Guidelines And here's the current United States Sentencing Commission manual on the guidelines: http://www.ussc.gov/Guidelines/2012_Guidelines/Manual_HTML/Chapter_5.htm Why doesn't AA.com's software automatically make a URL into a live link? Many other message/commentary boards routinely have this feature, so I can't imagine it's complex or difficult.
C. Montgomery Burns
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 8:44 p.m.
There goes the neighborhood!
justcurious
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 8:31 p.m.
It's about time.
John S. Armbruster
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 8:28 p.m.
Marquette would have been more appropriate. The inmates at Milan didin't do anything to deserve this BS artist.
Basic Bob
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 5:38 a.m.
The inmates in Milan were convicted of federal crimes. They deserve no more than to be placed with others who commit federal crimes.
jns131
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 10:18 p.m.
I was hoping someone would post something about Manistee. It is cold up there. Very apropos for a man who was very cold to Detroit. As for dirty? I could not agree more. This convict deserves Manistee, not Milan. I really hope he gets more time then what they are stating he will get.
beardown
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 8:23 p.m.
His level of corruption really knows no bounds, so they need to at least move him out of the state. We've paid enough for this guys ego, so maybe send him off to Montana or Alaska so he can properly enjoy his prison time.
JRW
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 9:39 p.m.
Put him in one of those maximum security facilities so he can get the full incarceration experience. Not a country club like Milan.
OLDTIMER3
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 8:14 p.m.
I think they should have gone to a maximum security prison not a country club one.
Indymama
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 2:08 a.m.
Hopefully he will when he is actually sentenced.
mady
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 7:50 p.m.
Do we know how long he's going to be there? (the longer the better)
Indymama
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 2:07 a.m.
I've heard anywhere from 10 to 28 years for same types of crimes.
golfer
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 11:40 p.m.
one lawyer said he should probably get 10 years. i sure hope it is twenty.
Buckybeaver
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 7:50 p.m.
It's a start. Gotta keep going if you want Detriot back.
Mike
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 7:46 p.m.
He would have been re-elected over and over agin if he hadn't been caught........elections have consequences don't they?
Skyjockey43
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 8:15 p.m.
If anyone doubts what Mike is saying, I would direct you to the example of Marion Barry
Doug
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 7:45 p.m.
Good job, judge! Now keep them locked up for a long time!
Basic Bob
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 9:29 p.m.
Judges have guidelines to follow, or else they aren't following the law. In that case, it ends up back in court. Keep them locked up as long as others who commit similar crimes.
nekm1
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 7:41 p.m.
What did anyone expect? He is Tony Soprano...this whole thing is a sitcom about Detroit politics. Can you imagine if they keep on digging? It is frightening to think how deep this quagmire goes.
Indymama
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 2:05 a.m.
I'm sure if they keep digging, they will open up all the graft going on in Washington DC...and they should!! We, the general public are being "robbed" blind by most of the politicians!
Bubba43
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 7:36 p.m.
about time
music to my ear
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 3:16 a.m.
a lot of our roots started in Detroit, I hated seeing him use the city, the people. yes it has been going on seems for Ever, now it is closure for the "D"I feel like it is home that I can never go back to for fear of being shot, and that is sad,forever in my heart, and god Kwame you are lucky to be a big guy cause no one will mess with you on the inside.
Ann Dwyer
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 7:36 p.m.
They have horseshoe pits! Not bad.
Milton Shift
Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 12:22 p.m.
Thank you Peter for your intelligent and compassionate replies. Wish more saw these issues as you do.
Peter
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 3:48 a.m.
Tim, acknowledgement of the inequities and faults of our specific prison system is not a statement that prison as a concept should be abolished. Our prison system does not reduce any of the crimes you brought up to appeal to everyone's emotion, and in fact our prisons are the venue for a tremendous number of murders, sexual assaults, and rapes, which are gleefully accepted and joked about by those who don't understand how harmful the savagery of our penitentiaries is to all of us, not just those we incarcerate.
Milton Shift
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 3:20 a.m.
Tim, you are right, prison isn't for killers, rapists, and child molesters. Prison is for people who grow pot.
Tim Hornton
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 1:26 a.m.
Well Peter you stated prison is "counterproductive", seems to me that incarceration for murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and other people that prey on the poor and weak in society is productive, so they can't commit anymore crimes against innocent people. Sure incarceration is harsh, but every society in the world needs it, thus it is Productive in stopping more theft, violence, and sexual crime.
brian
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 10:26 p.m.
Not to mention cable TV.
Peter
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 9:06 p.m.
That doesn't make much sense as a response to me Tim. Perhaps you could clarify for me.
Tim Hornton
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 8:57 p.m.
Right Peter. Maybe prison isn't for rapists, killers, child molesters ect. They should just get probation.
beardown
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 8:19 p.m.
It is brutal and awful and most likely counterproductive. But for a person who robbed an already broke city blind while smiling thinking he would walk away scott free, I honestly have no issue with him going there. For all that he stole from the taxpayers of the state of Michigan and Detroit, I have no problem with him being stuck in Milan for most of the rest of his life.
f4phantomII
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 8:14 p.m.
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Peter
Mon, Mar 11, 2013 : 8:03 p.m.
It's unfortunate that a staff member would crack jokes that perpetuate the myth that our prison system is anything but brutal, awful, and counterproductive.