Stephanie Steen, a former Detroit Fire Department (DFD) dispatcher, has been charged with making a false statement or representation to an agency of the United States. The criminal complaint, unsealed on September 28, details allegations that Steen warned her family members about a planned FBI raid before it occurred and subsequently lied to federal investigators when interviewed.
Steen, who retired from the DFD on March 27, 2026, had served as a dispatcher and lieutenant for over 13 years. The DFD and the Detroit Police Department (DPD) share dispatch operations at the Detroit Public Safety Headquarters.
Federal authorities allege that Steen informed her sibling, identified as C.B., and her mother about a search warrant scheduled for their home on Turner Street in Detroit in March 2025, prior to law enforcement's arrival. When confronted by federal agents about the alleged leak, Steen reportedly denied her involvement.
The search warrant on Turner Street was part of multiple federal search warrants executed across Metro Detroit on March 5, 2025. These operations, involving the FBI, Department of Labor, DPD, and other agencies, were conducted in connection with ongoing unemployment insurance fraud and bribery investigations. The warrant for the Turner Street home was planned for 4 a.m. due to the subject’s work schedule. Agents executing the search reported that lights were on, and people were awake and moving inside the home before the search commenced. Federal authorities believe C.B. was aware of the impending search based on their Facebook page and messages.
According to the criminal complaint, a “call for service” related to the Turner Street search warrant was entered into the Detroit Police dispatching system on March 5, 2025. This request was made so that the DPD could provide a marked police car to assist with the federal operation. Steen was working an assigned shift from approximately 6 p.m. on March 4 until 6 a.m. on March 5.
Approximately three minutes after the call for service was created in the dispatch system, at 3:13 a.m., a 30-second phone call was made from a number subscribed to Steen to her mother's phone number, according to T-Mobile records obtained via federal grand jury subpoena. Around 3:17 a.m., Steen’s unique username, “STEENS121,” was allegedly used to view the call for service concerning the Turner Street search warrant. T-Mobile records show Steen made a second call to the same number around 3:17 a.m., lasting nearly three minutes, followed by a third call at 3:21 a.m. for about 62 seconds. Further investigation revealed Steen is C.B.’s sister, and their mother resides with C.B. at the Turner Street address.
Federal investigators also noted that Steen allegedly placed another call to C.B. around the time C.B. began posting messages on their Facebook page. At approximately 3:35 a.m., C.B. called the United Auto Workers Call-In Absence Line for over seven minutes, as C.B. was employed at Stellantis in Warren at the time. Steen reportedly called C.B. again around 4 a.m.
During an interview with federal authorities on January 30, 2026, as part of the investigation into the search warrant leak, Steen stated she did not know about the search warrant until after she had completed her work shift for the day. She was presented with a dispatch document showing the call for service and her sign-on name, STEENS121, in the log at 3:17 a.m. When asked if STEENS121 was her username, she reportedly replied “no” and later claimed she was on medical leave for back and other issues. Agents showed Steen text messages between her and her mother, to which Steen remarked that her elderly mother’s safety was a concern. Confronted about her knowledge of the search warrant, Steen responded, "I don't remember anything back in March" and "I did not disclose any sensitive information."
In February 2026, the FBI and Detroit Police Department confirmed that STEENS121 was uniquely assigned to Steen, with usernames generated from employees’ last names and pension numbers. Investigators also confirmed no other personnel in the Communications Division or relevant DFD divisions shared the surnames “Steen” or “Stein” apart from Lieutenant Steen.
An agent filing the criminal complaint asserted that there is probable cause to believe Steen was untruthful based on evidence, including DPD dispatch logs showing her username reviewing the dispatch request, and her subsequent phone calls and text messages. The Detroit Fire Department released a statement confirming its awareness of the complaint, full cooperation with the federal investigation, and deferring further comment as it is an ongoing criminal case.
