LANSING, Mich. – A former Michigan State Police trooper pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges in connection with stealing more than $170,000 in improper salvage vehicle inspections.
Seth Sawnson, 21, of Royal Oak, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement by a public official and one count of utter and publishing false Secretary of State documents.
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The case arose from a joint investigation by the Michigan State Police, the FBI and the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Unit.
“Police officers are entrusted with upholding the law so it is especially disappointing when they are the ones that break it,” Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said. “This former officer is now seeing the consequences of his illegal actions.”
Swanson is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 28.
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From the Michigan Attorney General's Office:
Case Background
Between August 2014 and December 2015, Swanson falsified Michigan Secretary of State forms required for clean title and personally pocketed the cash fee instead of paying it over to the Michigan State Police. Michigan law earmarks a portion of this fee to fight auto thefts. Detecting stolen autos and auto parts is one of the purposes of the inspections that then-Trooper Swanson was responsible to do.
Swanson conducted 1,701 salvage vehicle inspections over a span of a year and a half, pocketing over $170,000.00, while forging the necessary Secretary of State document for each. The form, once completed and signed by a certified police officer, permitted the holder to obtain a good and valid State of Michigan motor vehicle title for the subject vehicle.
The former State Trooper had been a state-certified salvage vehicle inspector since 2011
Swanson used the fees he pocketed for personal purposes, including paying personal credit card debt, vacations, paying for multiple plastic surgeries, and for home improvements for himself and family.
Michigan Salvage Titles
A salvage title is issued for a vehicle that has become a "distressed vehicle.” A vehicle with a salvage title cannot be plated or used on public roads until it is recertified by a specially trained police officer and retitled.
The MSP and the Secretary of State will work together to ensure all vehicles involved in this case have a proper salvage vehicle inspection. This may involve directly contacting the registered owners of vehicles improperly inspected to arrange for a new inspection. The process of identifying affected vehicles is ongoing.