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| Christopher Sanders |
Sanders, 51, is accused of paying defendant Jimmie Lee Chandler, 28, of Van Buren Township, to break into Nocerini's car while it was parked in the city hall lot on Oct. 12, 2017 and place the starter pistol and fake drugs in the glove compartment. Prosecutors allege that Chandler then watched Nocerini leave in her vehicle and subsequently placed a 911 call to police identifying her vehicle and alleging she had been involved in a road rage incident.
Nocerini was never stopped by police and claimed to have discovered the starter pistol and what appeared to be narcotics in the glove compartment of her car sometime later. She reported the findings to the Wayne Police Department who referred the incident to the Michigan State Police. That investigation led to the arrest of Sanders and Chandler on Monday, Sept. 21, and their separate arraignments before Judge James Plakas at the 35th District Court in Plymouth the same day, according to official reports from the office of Wayne Country Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
The 29th District Court in Wayne was recused from the case, according to prosecutors.
Sanders and Chandler have each been charged with false report of a felony, conspiracy to commit false report of a felony and attempted false report of a felony. If convicted, they face 4-year prison terms on each count.
Sanders was released on a $10,000 personal bond and Chandler received a $1,000 or 10-percent bond during the arraignment.
Both defendants are scheduled to return to court Oct. 2 for separate probable cause conferences.
Sanders was recalled from the city council in May, 2018.
