Macomb County Man Pleads In Former Prosecutor's Embezzlement Case

MACOMB COUNTY, MI — A businessman has agreed to testify against former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith in a years-long embezzlement investigation as part of a plea agreement with state attorneys.

William Weber, the owner of Weber Security Group, appeared in Macomb County's 41-B District Court and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit a legal act in an illegal manner, a one-year misdemeanor.

In exchange for his plea, and an agreement to testify against Smith at an upcoming court hearing, charges of forgery, larceny by conversion, $20,000 or more, aiding and abetting embezzlement by a public official and receiving and concealing stolen property were dismissed.

In addition to testifying against Smith, Weber also agreed to pay $23,960 in restitution. Authorities said the restitution was paid Friday morning.

“Our public servants must uphold the integrity of the offices in which they serve,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. “My Public Integrity Unit remains committed to ensuring accountability for those who break the public’s trust.”

Smith was charged with 10 felonies last year after investigators estimated around $600,000 had been embezzled since 2012 through inappropriate use of forfeiture accounts.

Weber, Derek Miller, the county’s then-current assistant prosecutor and chief of operations, and Benjamin Liston, retired Macomb County assistant prosecutor and former chief of operations, were also charged as a result of the investigation by the state attorney general's Public Integrity Unity.

Last September, Liston pleaded guilty to three counts of willful neglect of duty by a public officer holding public trust. Liston agreed to testify to Smith’s role in covering up embezzlements from forfeiture accounts and will be sentenced following that testimony.

During his plea on Friday, Weber admitted to falsifying an invoice at Smith’s request for a security system installation at Smith’s residence to make it seem as though it was installed at the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.

Smith asked Weber to produce the false invoice in response to a subpoena in a pending Macomb County Circuit Court action, according to state authorities. The invoice covered up that his home security system had been paid for with county money.