A jury finds a former Westland police sergeant guilty of ethnic intimidation and assault

LANSING – A former Westland police sergeant was found guilty Friday of ethnic intimidation and assaulting a security guard during a visit to a Detroit casino last year.

Kevin Yudt, 43, of Grass Lake He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6 on two counts of ethical intimidation, each a two-year felony, and one count of assault and battery, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a news release.

On Friday, a Wayne County jury found Yudt guilty of the charges, court records confirmed.

The Westland Police Department fired Yudt from his job in May 2023, a month after Yudt confronted security at MGM Grand Detroit. Charges were brought against him earlier this year.

“No one is above the law, and I applaud the jury for their service and commitment to justice,” Nessel said. “This type of behavior has no place in our society, especially among those sworn to protect and serve. My office continues to pursue threats of ethnic violence and intimidation to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.”

Prosecutors say that on April 6, 2023, security at MGM Grand Detroit refused to allow Yudt and a friend access to the casino floor because he appeared to be intoxicated.

After being denied access, Yudt identified himself as a Westland police sergeant and told security staff, “I’ll be waiting for you when you get to Westland, and you won’t survive.”

He also punched a security guard in the chest and shouted racist insults.

Contact editor Susan Vela at [email protected] or 248-873-7044. Follow her on Twitter @susanvela.