Ticket fixing scandal unfolds in Warren

Officials: Employee confesses after being caught on camera

WARREN, Mich. – A Warren city employee is expected to face charges after allegedly offering to fix traffic tickets.

State law allows cities to hire law students to work for city attorneys as long as they are supervised. But a law student hired by the City of Warren was reportedly working on his own when he allegedly told a woman he would downgrade her speeding ticket if she paid him $300.

An exchange of money was captured on a courthouse video surveillance system camera.

When the woman was signing off on her paperwork and was told she had to pay an additional fee, she complained that she had already made a payment.

Court administrator Rob Curtis and Chief Judge John Chmura then notified the Warren Police Department.

"Any hint of impropriety will be investigated immediately, which is what we did in this case and turned our findings over to the Warren Police Department," Judge Chmura told Local 4 on Monday.

After initially denying he was involved in any kind of shakedown, the law student confessed, officials said.

The Macomb County Prosecutor's office is expected to file charges later this week.