Former Clinton Township trustee Reynolds claims alleged bribes were loans, at first day of trial
More than $100,000 that Dean Reynolds received from so-called friends that the federal government claims were bribes were actually loans, Reynolds’ attorney asserted Wednesday.
Reynolds’ attorney, Stephen Rabaut, for the first time revealed his client’s defense against four charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and 10 counts of bribery that could land him in prison for up to 10 years on each bribery counts and five years for the conspiracy counts,
Rabaut said during opening statements at Reynolds trial in U.S. District Court in Port Huron that more than a dozen instances of Reynolds receiving cash from Chuck Rizzo, Paulin Modi, Gasper Fiore and a fourth individual was to help him through difficult economic times and an expensive divorce.
“Mr. Reynolds looked at all of these four individuals as very close friends of his,” Rabaut told the 14 jurors. “In Mr. Reynolds’ mind, it was all about receiving loans from people he considered friends.”
Read more: http://www.macombdaily.com/general-news/20180613/reynolds-claims-alleged-bribes-were-loans-at-first-day-of-trial
