ROSEVILLE, Mich. – A candidate running for judge in Macomb County has been charged in a cocaine trafficking case after officials used a wiretap to monitor his phone conversations, according to court records.
In 2014, the FBI received information that Antonio Lewis, 53, of St. Clair Shores, and others were involved in distributing cocaine in the Macomb County area.
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In 2015, investigators at the Roseville Police Department confirmed that Lewis was distributing cocaine in the Macomb County area after two separate cocaine purchases were confirmed, officials said.
In 2017, the Macomb County Gang and Violent Crime Task Force started an investigation into Lewis' illegal activities, according to court documents.
Officials learned Lewis had a party bus rental business called A&A Dynasty. Lewis stored the vehicle at Maxx's Towing, where he had been seen conducting suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions.
Lewis sold cocaine in packs of around 1.2 grams, according to court records.
Texts, phone calls reveal alleged drug transactions
In the summer of 2017, investigators received permission to intercept wire and text communications on Lewis' phone.
Investigators learned criminal defense lawyer Paul Zyburski, 57, of Mount Clemens, was using text messages and phone calls to meet up with Lewis and buy cocaine, according to records.
Investigators said Zyburski contacted Lewis to buy two packages of cocaine Nov. 19.
Lewis and Zyburski had the following conversation, starting at 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 19:
Zyburski: "Can o get at 1030, call."
Lewis: "2nite." (text message)
Lewis: "Hello." (Lewis called Zyburski)
Zyburski: "Yeah, hey chief."
Lewis: "Yo"
Zyburski: "Yo, man. I'm on my way from um, where the f--- am I at, 16 and, where the f--- am I at, you know, 16 and f------, um, you know Troy."
Lewis: "Alright, man."
Zyburski: "Yeah, so about 45 minutes."
Lewis: "Alright"
Zyburski: "Can we do that? That'll be perfect."
Lewis: "Two?"
Zyburski: "That'll give me an incentive, man. I'm on. I'm out. Alright, I'll see ya. Alright, see ya"
Lewis: "Two?"
Zyburski: "Yea, man. Alright, bye."
Lewis: "Yep."
Later that month, law enforcement officials said Zyburski contacted Lewis to buy two packages of cocaine before traveling to Columbia.
Lewis and Zyburski had the following conversation, starting at 5:04 p.m. on Nov. 27:
Zyburski: "Yo Oni I'm getting ready to go to Columbia can you get me in the mood."
Lewis: "K."
Lewis: "How many?"
Zyburski: "2."
Lewis: "K."
Police said Zyburski contacted Lewis in December to buy cocaine for himself and someone named Brian. Lewis agreed to deliver the drugs to Zyburski's house, according to court records.
Lewis and Zyburski had the following conversation, starting at 3:06 p.m. on Dec. 19:
Zyburski: "And you stop by we got rid of ponder so we're going to have a little celebration me and Brian?"
Zyburski: "Keyshia Cole."
Zyburski: "Disregard that last message too."
Zyburski: "I meant just doll Keisha 1 it is 2 still good."
Lewis: "I have 5oclock meeting @ bus. Im @16 mound. I gotta be quick."
Zyburski: "No problem me and Brian got five kind of time anyway so I'll just wait here for you."
Zyburski: "Will save the Christmas stories till after Christmas especially since we got rid of ponder we have nobody to interrupt us LOL."
Lewis: "K."
Lewis: "K omw."
On Dec. 20, Zyburski contacted Lewis to buy cocaine at tennis courts, but Lewis was babysitting, police said. They agreed to meet up when his girlfriend got home, but Zyburski had to meet at Ciccarellis restaurant, according to records.
Lewis called Zyburski, and a man named Brian picked up the phone and told Lewis to meet them at Ciccarelli's, police said. They met in the parking lot for the exchange, according to officials.
Lewis and Zyburski had the following conversation, starting at 4:05 p.m. on Dec. 20:
Zyburski: "Can you meet me at the tennis court."
Lewis: "Baby sitting till 6."
Zyburski: "Okay that'll work I'll be home at 6 but I got to leave at 6:30."
Lewis: "K."
Lewis: "She not getting off 630 so ill be later 7ish. Sorry. If you wanna leave the loot n bowl let me know."
Zyburski: "Try to stall till around 7 so if you're not there I'll leave it in the bowl I just got to go to ciccarelli's and you know I want a piece of that little f------ squirt she owes me $499."
Lewis: "lol ok."
Zyburski: "U on ur way?"
Zyburski: "Or can I bj meet u in ciccerellis parking lot unless u wanna come in n hang with law enforcement lol"
Lewis: "omg."
Lewis: "Um nooo lol."
At 7:13 p.m. on Dec. 20, Lewis spoke with Brian on Zyburski's phone, police said. Here is the conversation:
Brian: "Yo, what up dog?"
Lewis: "You got jokes huh?" (laughs)
Brian: (laughs) "What's going on?"
Lewis: "Uh s---, I'm headed that way."
Brian: "Where, where you at?"
Lewis: "Uh, what's this, uh Utica and 14."
Brian: "Uh, can you meet us over at Ciccarelli's?"
Lewis: "Yeah I'll do that."
Brian: "Alright well see you over there, just uh, just call me or Paul or uh, when you're done, Paul's isn't ringing so call mine."
Lewis: "One?"
Brian: "What's that?"
Lewis: "One or two?"
Brian: "Uh, what do we want two?" (Asking someone in the background, who responded, "Yep.")
Brian: "Uh, two."
Lewis: "Alright see you in a little bit."
Brian: "Okay, bye bye."
Lewis: "Okay, bye."
At 7:42 p.m. on Dec. 20, Lewis called Zyburski's phone and got his voicemail, but didn't leave a message.
At 7:44 p.m. on Dec, 20, Lewis called Brian. Here's the conversation:
Lewis: "Keep coming to your right, down by the sport place, you hear me Brian?"
Brian: "Yeah, yep."
Lewis: "Yep" (laughs) "I see you walking out"
Brian: "Yeah, sorry about that. I, just for whatever reason, my phone is not uh."
Lewis: "Not ringing either?"
Brian: "(unclear) ringing but uh, yeah."
Lewis: "Where'd you go?"
Brian: "Uh, I'm right here over by BNR sports."
Lewis: "BNR sports yeah, I'm over here."
Brian: "Yeah, okay, what uh."
Lewis: "Parking lot. I mean, right behind this white Jeep. See the white Jeep in front of you?"
Brian: "Uh huh, yep. Okay, very good. Alrighty."
In January, Zyburski texted Lewis to buy cocaine for himself and an 18-year-old woman he was meeting, according to police.
Lewis and Zyburski had the following conversation, starting at at 12:34 p.m. on Jan. 20:
Zyburski: "Coyote can you stop by I got some 18 year old broad coming here so you know."
Lewis: "1?"
Zyburski: "Coyote? I think I meant to say yo tea anyway that one's good."
Lewis: "K."
Zyburski: "I didn't say she was Coyote Ugly."
Zyburski: "Actually 2 sounds better if you got it."
Lewis: "K omw."
Lewis: "Lmao."
Investigators said Lewis engaged in criminal conversations regarding the distribution of cocaine with Zyburski more than 30 times.