JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – This was not a request Bo Brown expected from a man of God.

In 1998, a longtime preacher and friend approached the then-city councilman for support on a zoning request for a topless bar in South Jackson.

Brown said the preacher offered to take bribes on his own behalf rather than taking them through another council member.

In return, Brown was asked to vote in favor of the rezoning request that would allow Stardust Cabaret to continue operating on S. Gallatin Street.

Brown, now a state representative, refused to take the bait.

“Instead of Louis (Armstrong) taking it and giving it to me, they wanted me to take it directly… This was his game where he seduced me… to get what he called ‘everything,'” she recalled. “It didn’t make sense.”

Last week, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, District 6 Councilman Aaron Banks and Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens appeared in federal court for the first time to answer charges tied to the city’s latest bribery scheme and accept money in exchange for their support. a convention center hotel.

The three were indicted on Oct. 23, 2024, nearly 26 years after another former city councilman, Louis Armstrong, and his son Artie were accused of attempting to rezone a strip club on Gallatin Street.

Then-popular city councilman Louis Armstrong spent more than a year in federal prison for accepting $25,000 in exchange for a redistricting vote. Artie was sentenced to nine months in prison.

according to Clarion-LedgerJon Adams bought the property on Gallatin Street thinking it was zoned for topless entertainment. However, the property was not and needed the support of the municipality to be rezoned.

The vote ultimately failed 4-1. It’s unclear how all council members voted. Armstrong was the only person to vote in favor of the zoning change.

Unlike the current FBI investigation, including FBI officials who came forward as out-of-state developers.as well as public funds and Ft. To persuade Lauderdale’s city leaders, the FBI in the 1990s enlisted the help of local players, including a preacher, to trap city officials, Brown said.

It was an easy decision for Brown to turn down the bribe offer. “I thought back to my grandmother’s old saying when I was a kid: ‘Don’t mess with anyone’s money.’”

A year after Louis and Artie Armstrong were convicted, another city councilman, Robert Williams, was given a 2.5-year prison sentence for his involvement in another scandal involving Time Warner Cable.

according to Clarion-LedgerThe company, which operates as Capitol Cablevision, was seeking council support to renew its franchise agreement with Jackson, which would give it exclusive rights to operate in the capital.

Williams, who was the youngest person ever elected to the city council at the time, fought his accusations in court. The first trial ended in a hung jury. In the second case, he was found guilty of two out of four crimes.

The original 12-member jury included seven African Americans. A second jury was included after the jury pool was expanded to include the entire Southern District of the District Court.

Brown said the scandals made it difficult to run city business, especially in the days leading up to Armstrong and Williams’ resignations.

“There were distractions because of that, there was a lot of speculation and a lot of finger pointing. But we largely handled the city’s affairs,” he said. “I’m sure it was tiring for them, but as far as I remember, the city never missed a beat.”

Brown represented the Fourth Ward from 1997 to 2005. The same year Mayor Frank Melton was elected to office, he was defeated in his bid for a third term. Brown lost his bid to retake the seat in 2009, but was elected to the Mississippi Legislature in 2020.

“I went through three FBI investigations,” he said. “I left my post saying, ‘I am the cleanest elected official in the city.’”

In 2007, Louis Armstrong joined the city’s government. Department of Human and Cultural ServicesHe helped work on a plan to end homelessness. Armstrong later became Hinds County Supervisor Credell Calhoun’s special projects officer.

Calhoun served on the city council from 1992 to 1997 and served one term as administrator. A person who answered his cell phone Tuesday said he would not be interested in commenting on the city’s previous scandal.

In total, WLBT reached out to four other council members who serve alongside Armstrong, and three declined to comment.

Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes didn’t say much about the 1998 scandal, but he reiterated earlier statements encouraging the mayor, Banks and Owens to consider plea deals.

Owens faces eight federal charges; These include one count of conspiracy, three counts of federal program bribery, use of an interstate facility for racketeering purposes, honest services wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements.

Lumumba is charged with conspiracy, federal program bribery, use of an interstate facility for the purpose of racketeering, honest services wire fraud and money laundering. Banks is charged with one count of conspiracy and federal program bribery.

If convicted, Owens faces up to 90 years in prison and a fine of up to $2 million; Lumumba could face up to 75 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine; Banks could face up to 15 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

All three pleaded not guilty at their initial hearings and were released on $10,000 bail each. While both Lumumba and Owens maintain their innocence, Owens said outside the courthouse last week that the charges were politically motivated. Banks has not commented since the indictment was announced.

Between October 2023 and May 2024, Owens is said to have facilitated bribe payments to Lumumba, Banks and former Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee on behalf of two undercover FBI employees posing as developers.

Owens was said to have received $115,000 for his efforts; $9,500 of which was in a blank copy of a book on the United States Constitution in his official office. Lumumba is said to have accepted $50,000 in bribes in the form of campaign contributions to delay the date to benefit developers. He deposited those funds into his campaign account before converting some of the funds into cash for personal use, the FBI said.

Banks, meanwhile, demanded a $50,000 bribe and received an initial payment of $10,000 in exchange for voting on the developers’ proposal after it was presented to the council. He also obtained protective detail service and employment for a family member.

In August, Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery. He resigned from the city council shortly before entering the plea.

Brown said the three should fight the charges if they are innocent, and if they are innocent, they are considering stepping aside.

“If it’s not true, and if it’s true and you know in your heart of hearts that it’s true, for the good of the council and the good of the public, I think I would consider resigning and spending my energy and my time trying to fight it,” he said. “It’s a matter of being honest with yourself and with people.”

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