Wayne County employees accused of using stolen county money to fix up shake shop

ROMULUS, Mich. (FOX 2) - Two suspects are accused of stealing from Wayne County to fix up a private Romulus business that one of them owns.

According to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, Kevin Gunn, 64, of West Bloomfield was 32-year-old Jazmine Bass supervisor with the county's road division. The pair is accused of stealing more than $4,000 from the county. 

They are now both charged with larceny over $1,000 but less than $20,000 and given $5,000 personal bonds.

The prosecutor said Gunn would divert county workers who were paid overtime to fix up Romulus Nutrition, which is owned by Bass. These workers allegedly used county materials on the project, too. 

An anonymous tip about the misuse of county funds in March 2022 led to an investigation. 

"Public servants dedicate their lives to working hard to serve the public. The defendants in this case betrayed public trust by allegedly stealing for personal gain. Hopefully, this case will send a message that this conduct will never be accepted in Wayne County," said Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

Three other road division employees were charged this March after they allegedly falsified timesheets while doing work at Romulus Nutrition.

Earlier this year, Gunn pleaded guilty in a federal indictment for separate allegations that he was working with another person to make unauthorized purchases of generators and other power equipment and then sold the items for personal profit.