Former Jackson Mayor Pleads Guilty to Bribery Conspiracy

The former mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy in a bribery scheme involving $50,000 in campaign contributions from undercover FBI agents. The payments were concealed as five $10,000 checks from third-party entities and laundered through the campaign account, according to a 2024 Department of Justice press release.

Background on the Case The former mayor originally denied the charges in 2024, stating he had never accepted a bribe and had always acted in the city's best interests. The indictment states the mayor accepted the checks knowing the money came from the developers in exchange for official action on a proposed multi-million-dollar downtown development project.

A county district attorney who funneled the bribes pleaded guilty on June 29 and faces the same five-year maximum sentence.

The former mayor and the district attorney each face up to five years in prison. The former mayor served from 2017 until losing reelection in the Democratic primary in 2025. His father previously served as mayor from 2013 to 2014. The former mayor's legal counsel, the district attorney's office, and city officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.