Former Benton Harbor Police Officer Sentenced after Pleading Guilty to Felony Drug Offense

GRAND RAPIDS, MI—Andrew Thomas Collins, age 26, of Benton Harbor, Michigan, was sentenced to 37-months imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the City of Benton Harbor, U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis announced today. Collins had pled guilty to possessing with intent to distribute more than 5 grams of crack cocaine in connection with an investigation of his corrupt practices as a police officer.

The conviction stemmed from the seizure of crack cocaine and other controlled substances from Collins on February 18, 2008. At the time of the seizure, Collins was employed as a sworn police officer of the Benton Harbor Police Department (BHPD). Collins abused his position of trust as a police officer, in that on multiple occasions he failed to report and submit to the BHPD all narcotics he seized in the course of his duties and instead retained possession of narcotics for his own use, gain or purpose. Collins reported false and fictitious controlled purchases to the BHPD for the purpose of improperly securing search warrants and to embezzle funds of the BHPD. Collins was using the wrongfully possessed narcotics to conceal the falsity of his reported controlled purchases.

U.S. District Court Judge Robert Holmes Bell, who presided over the sentencing of Collins, stated that Collins’s crime tore at the fabric of our society. The judge told Collins that his crime makes it harder for judges, prosecutors, and police officers to do their jobs.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI and its law enforcement partners consider allegations of public corruption to be of the highest importance and priority. U.S. Attorney Davis stated: “The respect and confidence the citizens place in their governmental institutions is dependant upon the honest and faithful services of the governmental employee. This office will aggressively pursue and prosecute governmental employees who violate their solemn oath and duties.” U.S. Attorney Davis also assured that his office will work diligently with its law enforcement partners to seek out and remedy any wrongful convictions resulting from Collins’ alleged criminal conduct.”

The investigation of this matter was conducted by the St. Joseph Office of the FBI with the cooperation of the Michigan State Police, the Berrien County Prosecutor’s Office and the BHPD. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Delaney.

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