Fmr cop admits guilt in corruption case

A former Benton Harbor police officer has pleaded guilty in connection with a corruption investigation with his past employer.

Bernard Hall Jr., 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the civil rights of Benton Harbor residents, according to the Department of Justice. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

Hall was taken into custody July 17.

He was head of the narcotics unit with the Benton Harbor Police Department at the time of the alleged incidents. He was the supervisor of other officers in the unit, including former officer Andrew Thomas Collins.

Collins is also allegedly connected to this case. He is currently serving time in federal prison for a felony drug conviction on January 26. At that time, Collins admitted he abused his position of trust as a BHPD officer, in that on more than one occasion he failed to report and submit to the department all narcotics he seized in the course of his duties and instead retained possession of the drugs for his own use.

Collins also admitted he reported false and fictitious controlled substances to the department for the purpose of improperly securing search warrants and to embezzle funds from the department.

Count one of the indictment alleges Hall and Collins falsified search warrant affidavits, obtained search warrants without probable cause, embezzled funds from BHPD, filed false police reports and unlawfully seized and misappropriated people's money and personal property for their own personal use.

The FBI office in St. Joseph, Michigan State Police, the Berrien County Prosecutor's Office and Benton Harbor Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Delaney is prosecuting the case.