Charges filed against deputy, probationer

The Attorney General's Public Integrity Unit last week filed criminal charges against a Macomb County sheriff deputy and a New Baltimore probationer for their alleged roles in a scheme to avoid court-mandated breathalyzer tests. Macomb County Sheriff Deputy Joseph Andrew Cada, 45, of Chesterfield, and Trista Leigh-Ann Caswell, 28, of New Baltimore, both face one charge of obstruction of justice, a five-year felony. The charges follow an investigation by the FBI-led Detroit Public Corruption Task Force and the Novi Police Department. "The public's faith in our criminal justice system depends upon the integrity of those sworn to uphold it," said Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette. "When you abuse the public trust, there are consequences." On March 24, 2011, Novi's 52-1 District Court ordered Caswell to take in-home alcohol breathalyzer tests as a condition of her probation for a disorderly person charge. After missing multiple breathalyzer tests and failing one, it is alleged Caswell met Cada at her place of employment, the Traffic Light, an adult entertainment establishment in Mt. Clemens, to concoct a scheme to avoid future tests. The charges allege that Cada and Caswell conspired to mislead the Court and its probation agents by filing fraudulent statements attesting that Caswell passed five breathalyzer tests administered by Cada. Five fraudulent statements bearing the insignia of the Macomb County Sheriff Department were allegedly drafted and signed by Cada. Three of the fraudulent statements listed his badge number on them. The statements allegedly declared that Cada administered the court-ordered breathalyzer tests, and that Caswell "blew .000" on all of them. It is alleged the statements were submitted to the Court's probation agent on October 24, 2012. When called before District Court Judge Robert Bondy on November 6, Caswell admitted Cada's statements were fraudulent. Judge Bondy sentenced Caswell to 90 days in the Oakland County Jail for violating the conditions of her parole. On March 20, Joseph Cada surrendered to authorities and was arraigned before Magistrate Andra Dudley. Cada was released on a $10,000 personal bond. Arrangements were being made last week for Caswell to surrender to authorities for arraignment. Since the formation of the Public Integrity Unit in 2011, Schuette has filed 227 charges and secured 99 convictions against 18 defendants. Published: Mon, Mar 25, 2013

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