November 10,  2009

               LANSING - Attorney General Mike Cox today announced the sentencing of a retired Clinton Township District Court Judge convicted of embezzling thousands of dollars from a legal client's trust account.

Former District Court Judge William Cannon, 75, was sentenced before Judge Richard L. Carretti of the Macomb County Circuit Court and ordered to serve 180 days in the Macomb County Jail.  Judge Carretti also ordered Cannon to be placed on probation for five years and required him to pay nearly $75,000 in restitution.  In addition to today's sentencing, Cannon may face disciplinary sanctions from the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board, which could include loss of his Michigan license to practice law.

"Since 2003 my office has conducted more than 50 public corruption investigations and will continue to root out the bad apples, wherever we find them," said Cox.

Cannon was convicted on September 16, 2009 of embezzlement by an agent or trustee of $1,000.00 or more but less than $20,000.00, which is a felony carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison.  Mr. Cannon retired from his position as a district court judge and was in private law practice when he misappropriated funds belonging to his client, Stewart Ricard, III.  

Mr. Cannon was the trustee of a $100,000 trust account belonging to Mr. Ricard and stole his money by writing several checks to himself and his associate, Timothy Mucciante, leaving his client with only $7,000.  None of the money stolen by Cannon was used for the benefit of Mr. Ricard.

Mr. Mucciante previously entered guilty pleas to two counts of embezzlement. Mucciante received a sentence of 17 months to 15 years in prison because of his extensive criminal history and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $48,000.00.

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