Former Detroit police officer sentenced to prison for taking towing bribes

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A former Detroit police officer was sentenced this week to 15 months in prison for taking bribes while running department vehicle auctions.

Alonzo Jones was also sentenced to two years of supervised release once his prison time is done, as part of a plea deal.

Jones, a 30-year veteran of the force, accepted cash bribes five times, and accepted total of $3,200. He took the final bribe before he retired in May 2021, authorities said. 

Related: Former Detroit police officer charged with taking bribes

"Every new police officer takes an oath to uphold our laws and act with integrity. This officer broke that oath and his crimes are an affront to the citizens of Detroit and the honest officers of the Detroit Police Department who put their lives on the line to protect those citizens. This sentence shows our office’s commitment to aggressively pursuing police officers who use their trusted positions of authority to enrich themselves," said United States Attorney Dawn Ison.

Jones was charged as part of the investigation known as "Operation Northern Hook," an investigation of corruption within the government and Detroit Police Department relating to the towing industry and other matters.