Former Hinds County District Attorney Sentenced to Over Three Years for Bribery Scheme
Jody Owens, the former District Attorney for Hinds County, Mississippi, has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme. U.S. District Judge Daniel Jordan stated that Owens solicited $250,000 in bribes to manipulate city contract bids. Owens expressed shame in court, acknowledging that he betrayed his family, friends, colleagues, and himself through his actions. In addition to the prison sentence, Owens was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine. This sentencing is part of a broader investigation that has also implicated other city officials. Former Jackson City Council President Aaron Banks received a nearly four-year prison sentence for his role, and former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge related to the scheme, with his sentencing pending. Angelique Lee, former vice president of the Jackson City Council, and Sherik Marve Smith, a relative of Owens, also pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges in 2024.