Richmond Police Chief Thomas Costello was acquitted of alleged unauthorized use of Law Enforcement Information Network information by a jury on Friday. The verdict was reached after more than three months, following a failed plea deal between Costello and Macomb County. The plea deal collapsed just hours after Costello was sentenced to jail.
“He should have never been charged in the first place,” said Arthur Weiss, Costello’s attorney.
Costello faced charges in 2022 related to unauthorized use of the Law Enforcement Information Network, a nationwide system that allows law enforcement to access information, including criminal records from other departments in the network. Unauthorized use of the network is considered a misdemeanor in Michigan, and law enforcement agencies can lose access to the system if unauthorized access is allowed.
Weiss argued that Costello’s use of the system was not a crime as the information was publicly available, and the particular street accessed could also be accessed through Google. According to Weiss, Costello’s use of the system did not personally benefit him and fell under his duties as a law enforcement officer.
Dawn Fraylick, communications director for the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, declined to comment on the verdict.
Costello had initially agreed to plead no contest in August, and Judge William Hackel III sentenced him to five days in jail, a punishment not included in the plea deal. This led Costello to withdraw from the agreement and take the case to a jury.
Weiss confirmed that Costello resumed his duties as police chief immediately following the verdict.
Contact Johnathan Hogan at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Local police chief acquitted of alleged misconduct
