Friday, May 29, 2009

Man charged in repeated elevator urination

Federal officials today charged a contractor for the Internal Revenue Service with repeatedly urinating inside a Detroit IRS building freight elevator, causing a stink for other employees.Michael Hicks, 55, of Detroit is charged with a felony count of malicious mischief, damaging governmental property by a sum exceeding $1,000. The crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.


An affidavit filed today in U.S. District Court says Hicks’ urination caused the IRS to incur a deep cleaning expense of $4,626.


The investigation began on Aug. 16, 2007, when the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration received a complaint about someone urinating in a freight elevator of the IRS building on Michigan Avenue.


An investigator installed a surveillance camera and picked up images of someone urinating in the elevator “on numerous occasions,” according to the affidavit.


Hicks was identified and confessed to the urination during a 2008 interview, the affidavit states.


“Hicks denied having any medical conditions that would cause him to commit such an offense,” Delmaria Scott, a special agent for the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, said in the affidavit. “He stated that he did it because he felt he could get away with it.”


Gina Balaya, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, said the charges were delayed because investigators tried to resolve the issue with Hicks but were unable to do so.


Hicks was not yet in custody this morning, investigators said.


...really...it's friday...i can't...

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