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The Theodore Levin U.S. District Courthouse in Downtown Detroit. (Tanya Moutzalias | MLive file)

DETROIT -- Two police officers accused of robbing drug dealers and other criminal suspects are now convicted criminals themselves.

They were accused of conducting illegal searches and seizures over a period of nearly four years between 2010 and 2014.

A federal jury on Monday convicted former Detroit Police Lt. David Hansberry, 35, the crew's suspected leader, and officer Bryan Watson, 47, on charges of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion and robbery, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

They were acquitted on most of the charges against them, including attempting to distribute or sell more than 5 kilograms of cocaine.

"The vast majority of the men and women of the Detroit Police Department are honest and hard working, but these defendants betrayed their oath and their fellow officers," Police Chief James Craig said in a statement. "We are committed to the highest standards of integrity, and we will remove any officers who do not live up to those high standards."

Kevin O. Brown, a friend of Hansberry and an alleged accomplice who is not a police officer, was acquitted on a count of interference with commerce by robbery and extortion.

Hansberry was charged with 18 felony federal crimes; Watson with 16; and Brown with two.

Hansberry indictment

Two others, ex-Detroit Police Officer Arthur Leavells and Calvin Turner, accepted plea deals for their roles in the indictment and are awaiting sentencing.

Following the initiation of an FBI probe into the the Detroit Police Narcotics Unit, the department disbanded the Narcotics Unit.

The seizures were conducted under the guise of law enforcement, but were actually coordinated robberies committed to benefit the officers involved, U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade's office claims.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the men monitored substantial drug transactions and intervened, "using their police authority to extort drugs, money and personal property."

Christopher A. Wilson, a convicted drug dealer, testified that Detroit police busted in on an in-progress cocaine deal and robbed the men present of nearly $140,000 cash in November 2011.

Amber Pickett, the girlfriend of another high-level Detroit drug dealer currently serving time in federal prison after a bust involving the Mexican Cartel, said on the witness stand that Detroit police stole a duffel bag from her home loaded with cash in April 2011.

The amount of money in the bag: $45,460, according to a police forfeiture form entered into evidence.

Pickett and Wilson were a couple of numerous witnesses who made similar claims during the lengthy trial.

"In addition, the evidence showed that Hansberry, who was a sergeant at the time, and Watson failed to log into evidence money and drugs seized during searches of homes," McQuade's office said in a statement issue Monday. "Instead, they split the proceeds and arranged for the sale of the drugs, sharing the proceeds generated by the sales.

"In one instance in July 2010, Hansberry and Watson participated in a drug seizure that netted more than $3 million, the largest cash seizure by the Detroit Police Department at that time. Only $2.2 million, however, was placed in the evidence room."

In addition to the federal criminal case, a total of at least eleven Detroit police have been named in civil lawsuits alleging similar misconduct since summer 2015. Hansberry is named in multiple.

"These defendants tarnished the badge that is worn with honor by their fellow officers, using their power as police officers to steal money and drugs from criminals who have no recourse," McQuade said. "In addition to betraying their trust to uphold the law, these officers also put back out onto the streets the drugs that they had seized so that they could split the proceeds.

"Their greed caused them to poison our neighborhoods with drugs and to diminish public trust in police."