A Michigan Democrat city manager got slapped with cocaine and tax evasion charges. Let that sink in.
Shawn Roberson, the 51-year-old city manager and fire chief of Muskegon Heights, is now staring down three state felony counts after the FBI, DEA, IRS, and Michigan State Police absolutely swarmed City Hall on July 23rd. We're talking a full-blown multi-agency raid on a government building, folks. According to this report, investigators combed through Roberson's financial records and real estate deals connected to the Muskegon County Land Bank.
Here's where it gets really spicy. Roberson got hit with one count involving delivery or manufacturing of under 50 grams of cocaine, a charge that could land him behind bars for two decades. On top of that, he picked up two separate tax evasion counts, each carrying a possible five-year sentence. His lawyer, Terry Nolan, apparently had nothing to say when reporters came knocking.
Oh, and did we mention this guy was actively campaigning? Roberson was running as a Democrat in the August 4th primary for a Muskegon Township Board seat. He's now been suspended with pay following the raid. Must be nice to collect a paycheck while facing felony cocaine charges.
But wait, there's more. Federal prosecutors simultaneously dropped a separate indictment on three men tied to an alleged drug pipeline stretching from Houston all the way to western Michigan. The feds named Lakento Brian Smith, Javon Brewer, and Fletcher Lee Salazar in that case. Brewer, age 58, happens to be Roberson's real estate business partner. Cozy arrangement, right?
Smith's backstory is absolutely wild. The 54-year-old Muskegon native, now based in Houston, had his 30-year federal prison sentence commuted by former President Joe Biden just last year. Federal authorities now claim he was pushing up to 28 kilograms of cocaine per week into Michigan. Per week.
All three men face conspiracy charges related to distributing cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. Smith and Brewer also got tagged with money laundering conspiracy counts. U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey pointed out that the operation allegedly moved over 400 grams of fentanyl, calling it "a poison that continues to drive overdoses across our district."
The penalties here are no joke. Smith is looking at 15 years to life, while Brewer and Salazar each face 10 years to life if convicted.
Prosecutors aren't just going after bodies, either. They're grabbing assets. A lien was slapped on Brewer's ranch-style home the very morning of the raid. The government also wants his black 2024 Toyota Tundra and $21,286 in cash that was seized from his residence. Investigators allege Smith helped clean at least $130,000 in drug money through Houston.
DEA Detroit Special Agent in Charge Joseph Dixon made it crystal clear that law enforcement plans to rip apart every corner of this operation. "Drug traffickers will be identified, their operations will be dismantled, and they will be held accountable," he stated.
So to recap: a sitting city manager charged with cocaine delivery, a commuted felon allegedly running a massive drug pipeline, and a real estate partnership that looks shadier than a back alley. Small-town politics at its absolute finest.
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