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UPDATE: Former Wayne County Employees Charges with Stealing Over $4,000 in County Funds
Note: Ms. Bass was not able to be processed for arraignment today. A new arraignment time will be announced next week.
DETROIT - Former Wayne County Roads Division employees Kevin Gunn, 64, of West Bloomfield and Jazmine Bass, 32, of Westland were charged today by Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy. It is alleged that they stole over $4000 in County funds while they were employed by Wayne County in the Roads Division.
Kevin Gunn was the supervisor of Jazmine Bass when she worked in the Wayne County Roads Division in the Bridges Department. On December 5, 2022, it is alleged that Gunn diverted County workers who were paid overtime and took County-owned building materials to build out Bass' store, Romulus Nutrition, located in Romulus, MI. Romulus Nutrition is not a Wayne County enterprise.
For their roles in the fraudulent scheme, Gunn and Bass have each been charged with one count of Larceny over $1000 but less than $20,000. *
On March 24, 2022, the Office of the Wayne County Executive sent WCPO an anonymous tip letter about misuse of taxpayer dollars at the Wayne County Roads Division in connection with Romulus Nutrition. They requested an investigation that was conducted by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office Criminal Investigations Division, assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The investigation led to the current state charges against Gunn and Bass. **
"Our continued cooperation and partnership with the Prosecutor's office, emphasizes my commitment to upholding the values of transparency, accountability, and integrity in our government. Corruption erodes the trust that our constituents place in us, and I stand firmly against any actions that compromise the well-being of our community," said Executive Warren C. Evans.
"Public servants dedicate their lives working hard to serve the public. The defendants in this case betrayed public trust by allegedly stealing for personal gain. Hopefully this case will send a message that this conduct will never be accepted in Wayne County," said Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
An update will be sent on the week of August 28th, 2023, with the arrangements that are being made for Defendants Gunn and Bass to be processed and arraignment in 34th District Court in Romulus.
*The charges are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
**Gunn was also charged in a federal indictment based upon separate facts and allegations. (See U.S. Attorney's Press Release dated July 19, 2023.)
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