Tresa Baldas, and Christina Hall

Detroit Free Press

Rizzo Environmental Services, which picks up the trash in multiple communities across metro Detroit, is at the center of a federal public corruption investigation that is expected to ensnare numerous local public officials in Macomb County in alleged pay-to-play schemes, according to multiple sources with intimate knowledge of the investigation.

The sources told the Free Press that Rizzo is cooperating with the government after getting caught allegedly paying bribes to a Clinton Township official who was arrested Thursday and charged in federal court.

Joseph A. Munem, director of government affairs and public relations for Rizzo, issued a statement late Thursday:

“In this, as in all matters, we’re cooperating with the legal authorities. We will follow their guidance so long as it may be required in the coming weeks,” the company said. “We will continue to focus on delivery of our services, and to demonstrate to our employees, partners and customers that we remain the premier provider of environmental services in our community.”

► Feds:There's 'systemic corruption' in Macomb County

According to sources, Rizzo Services is the unnamed company that the FBI says paid between $50,000 and $70,000 in cash bribes to Clinton Township Trustee Dean Reynolds for help in securing a lucrative contract.

Reynolds, 49, was charged with bribery Thursday in U.S. District Court for allegedly accepting the cash in exchange for his vote on an $18-million contract that went to the bribe giver — who also provided him with a free divorce attorney for his help.

The charging document did not name Rizzo Services, stating only that "a principal of Company A was involved in providing an ongoing stream of benefits to Reynolds in order to secure the Clinton Township contract."

► Related: Supreme Court ruling opens door to bribery, corruption

Clinton Township Supervisor Robert Cannon said the Rizzo contract was the only one that he could think of that would be that high. The township has other lucrative contracts, he noted, such as sewer and water, but none as high as $18 million.

In court documents, the FBI said it had tapped the phones of both Reynolds and the bribe giver, who after being confronted with the evidence admitted responsibility and agreed to cooperate.

"This is an extensive investigation into systemic corruption in multiple municipalities in southeast Michigan, primarily Macomb County," the FBI wrote in a charging document filed Thursday that named Reynolds as the first defendant ensnared in the probe.

Farmington Hills attorney Jay Schwartz, who has represented Rizzo Environmental Services in several legal proceedings, declined comment. Schwartz also was one of two attorneys who represented Reynolds — the Clinton Township defendant — in his divorce.

According to court documents and interviews with multiple sources, the FBI's years-long investigation is expected to trigger criminal charges against numerous politicians in towns and cities across Macomb County who engaged in pay-to-play schemes with various developers and businesses. The Clinton Township case, sources said, is just the tip of the iceberg and numerous more charges will follow.

In Reynolds' case, the bribes from Rizzo started in 2012, the FBI says. In return for the money, Reynolds voted for the contract and provided Rizzo with information about how other trustees would vote, the complaint said.

Reynolds also was caught on videotape accepting an additional $17,000 in cash from an undercover FBI agent, the complaint said.

Earlier this year, the township board approved extending a current trash contract with Rizzo for 10 more years through 2026, according to meeting minutes. The extension — the second between the company and the township — was to be effective April 1, 2016, through March 31, 2026, according to the minutes.

Reynolds, who is running for township supervisor in the Nov. 8 election, appeared in federal court in handcuffs Thursday, but said nothing about the allegations during his brief court appearance. Neither did his family or his lawyer, who declined to comment on the case. He was released on bond.

"Corruption undermines the very nature of representative government," U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said, noting the federal government "is committed to seeking out and prosecuting corrupt public officials in all areas ... including suburban communities."

McQuade would not comment any further on the specifics of the case when contacted later Thursday by the Free Press.

Some of the key players in Detroit's City Hall corruption probe that brought down former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and dozens of others were present in court Thursday for Reynolds' initial appearance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bullotta, one of the lead prosecutors in the Kilpatrick case, was there. So was FBI Special Agent Robert Beeckman, who headed the FBI investigation that brought down Kilpatrick.

As with the Detroit City Hall corruption probe, wiretaps, cooperating witnesses, video recordings, physical surveillance, and subpoenas of financial records are playing key roles in the Macomb County case. For example, the FBI taped a phone conversation in which Reynolds is heard telling a family friend or relative that his divorce lawyer would be free. The FBI published excerpts from that conversation in court documents:

"Well, I mean the attorney's not gonna cost me anything, so ... You know. And they'll be, they'll be firing, you know, they'll be firing, uh, you know, eight or $10,000 motions on her (his wife). She won't know what hit her," Reynolds said in a July 22, 2015, phone conversation that is on file in federal court.

The FBI also says it intercepted a phone call that Reynolds had with an attorney friend who had a suspended law license. Reynolds frequently consulted with this lawyer friend about his bribery schemes, court records state, and complained about his divorce attorney.

► Related: Supreme Court ruling opens door to bribery, corruption

In one phone conversation, according to the FBI, Reynolds groused that his divorce lawyer was going out of town for a funeral and would not be able to file a divorce pleading by a certain date. In this conversation, Reynolds discussed threatening to stop doing favors for the businessman who gave him the free lawyer.

"(My wife) is going around ruining my reputation and it's gonna affect my election, and something's gonna happen if I don't get her out of that house. And I'll call f------ (the businessman) and tell him that, you can kiss my ass good-bye ... cause your damn attorney isn't doing her job.' "

In another conversation, the FBI says, Reynolds is heard telling his lawyer friend about the alleged bribery scheme with the businessman, and what he planned to do if he didn't get satisfaction in his divorce case.

Reynolds: "Yeah, cause I don't think (the businessman) is gonna be real happy if he doesn't get his like, $18-million contract, do you?"

Lawyer friend: "No ... but you need to calm down before you ... call (him)"

Reynolds: "Should I tell (the businessman) that it's ...? I mean, I'm scared it's gonna get to a point that I'm not gonna be able to help anybody, if stuff starts happening, if the police gets called ... I'm just gonna be ...?

Attorney friend: "Yeah, you do ... You, you want to stay out of the papers."

Reynolds, a Democrat, is running for township supervisor against longtime Supervisor Cannon, a Republican.

"It's a bad day for Clinton Township. It's a bad day for elected officials," said Cannon, who had not read the complaint. "I'm sorry that he did what he did."

Cannon said he and Reynolds were not personal friends and "often at odds, including ethics."

Cannon said he has not been interviewed by the FBI, and he said he plans to ask his staff Friday if anyone has been.

"It is very disappointing," Cannon said of the situation. "He let the public down."

Cannon said that while Reynolds does not have to step down from the township board, "I don't think his voice will carry much voice on the township board any longer."

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said he was not familiar with the investigation and was not interviewed by federal officials regarding the Reynolds case. He said that he has known Reynolds for eight or 10 years because of Reynolds' role in government, but does not know about his work or relationships. He said that a more widespread investigation in the county "doesn't surprise me and if there is, I hope it's very thorough."

Hackel, a former county sheriff, said that he has heard of alleged corruption issues in the county with other public officials, but he did not name any officials.

Reynolds was elected to the board of trustees in November 2004 and re-elected in November 2008 and 2012, according to the township's website.

Contact Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@freep.com