Friday, March 6, 2009
Detroit immigration official who gave favors deserves prison, prosecutor says
Paul Egan / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- A former top immigration official in Detroit who gave favors in return for free meals, landscaping and casino chips should be sent to prison for two years, a federal prosecutor said Friday.

Roy Bailey, 55, of Romulus, is to be sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Julian Abele Cook, Jr.

Bailey, who was field office director for detention and removal operations for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in Detroit, pleaded guilty in September to defrauding the federal government, conspiracy to commit bribery, and failing to report a felony.

"Under Roy Bailey's control, the immigration system in this district was starkly divided between those he favored and those he did not," Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Judge said in a sentencing memorandum.

"The former group included restaurant owners, attorneys, business owners and others who provided cash, free meals, free services and other things of value to Mr. Bailey. In return they, along with their relatives, clients, associates and employees were allowed to engage in repeated and wide-ranging immigration fraud and received benefits and preferential treatment."

Bailey's conduct "can only be described as shocking," Judge said.

Still, Judge recommended a two-year sentence for Bailey, which is below federal sentencing guidelines, because Bailey helped with a criminal case against another unnamed government official.

Among those who gave Bailey gifts and received favors from Bailey were immigration attorney Namir Daman, who was earlier sentenced to three years' probation; LaShish Restaurants owner Talal Chahine, a fugitive believed to be living in Lebanon; and Leon's Family Dining restaurants owner Samir Leon, who has not been charged with a crime, according to court records filed Friday.

Gifts included about $5,000 in free meals at Leon's; $5,000 in casino chips; and $500 in free landscaping paid for by Daman, Bailey attorney Michael Starr of Washington, D.C. said in a court filing.

Bailey, who was indicted in 2007, also know about, but failed to stop, a pattern of theft that totaled more than $300,000 from immigrants in detention by immigration employee Patrick Wynne, who was sentenced to 57 months in prison in 2006.

Starr said Bailey should get a 14-month sentence, based partly on his years of unblemished military and government service prior to 2000.

"He became seduced by the attention, favors and gratuities that people offered him as a result of his position," Starr said of Bailey, who is married with two children.

You can reach Paul Egan at pegan@detnews.com.


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