Another domino fell in the Chris Epps scandal today. A federal grand jury indicted Butch Evans for one count of fraud and one count of bribery on July 13, 2016. Evans is a Ridgeland insurance agent. The indictment was unsealed today and alleges the Evans paid kickbacks to Chris Epps in exchange for insurance policies Evans sold to MDOC employees. The case was assigned to Judge Henry Wingate. The indictment states:
4. CHRISTOPHER B. EPPS through officialaction made the defendant Broker of Record for MDOC in September of 2012. As Broker of Record for MDOC, GUY E. "BUTCH" EVANS had exclusive access to sell insurance policies and products to MDOC employees. After becoming Broker of Record, the defendant sold insurance policies and products, to include Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Company, JAlwaysCare, and Humana, to MDOC employees and received a commission from these companies for policies sold....
7. It was the object of the conspiracy that defendant GUY E. "BUTCH" EVANS would bribe or provide kickbacks to CHRISTOPHER B. EPPS, in exchange for favorable official action as requested, and for EVANS to enrich himself, such as, the awarding of the position of Broker of Record to EVANS for the exclusive right to sell insurance to MDOC employees;
8. In furtherance of the conspiracy and to carry out its objectives, the following acts, among
others, were committed:
9. Beginning in January 2013, the defendant, GUY E. "BUTCH" EVANS, began regularly providing
CHRISTOPHER B. EPPS with cash payments in varying amounts, generally $1,400.00 to $1,700.00 per payment, in exchange for CHRISTOPHER B. EPPS as commissioner of MDOC naming EVANS Broker of Record and financially benefited EVANS and his company, Insurance Premium Services, LLC....
The indictment states the following payments were made to Mr. Epps' First Commercial Bank account:
*$2,906 on April 30, 2014
*$520 on May 7, 2014
*$1,900 on May 27, 2014
$2,913 on May 29, 2014
The indictment also states:
14. That from in or about January 2013, until in or about May 2014, the defendant, GUY E. "BUTCH" EVANS, was paid approximately $4,300.00 per month by Colonial, $1,400.00 to $1,700.00 of which EVANS paid to CHRISTOPHER B. EPPS each month.
14. That from in or about January 2013, until in or about May, 2014, the defendant, GUY E. "BUTCH" EVANS, was paid approximately $4,300.00 per month by Colonial, $1,400.00 to $1,700.00 of which EVANS paid to CHRISTOPHER B. EPPS each month.
The U.S. Attorney also asks the court to seize all property derived from the criminal enterprise.
Note: The U.S. Attorney also issued this press release:
MISSISSIPPI BUSINESSMAN CHARGED WITH BRIBERY OF
FORMER CORRECTIONS COMMISSIONER
Jackson, Miss – Guy E. “Butch” Evans, 61, of Jackson, has been charged with paying bribes and kickbacks to former Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner (MDOC) Christopher B. Epps in exchange for exclusive access to sell insurance products to MDOC employees, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain, and FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Donald Alway.
Evans is charged in a two count indictment with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and bribery. According to the indictment, beginning in 2012 and continuing until 2014, Evans gave Epps bribes and kickbacks in exchange for the exclusive access to sell insurance products to MDOC employees. The indictment alleges that, beginning in January 2013 and continuing through May 2014, Evans received approximately $4,300 per month from the products sold through his exclusive access and he made cash payments to Epps ranging from $1,400 to $1,700 per month.
Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain stated: “Corrupt individuals who place the integrity of government at risk will be held accountable for their actions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners remain unwavering in our commitment to root out public corruption at all levels and to restore the public trust.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway applauded the investigators and prosecutors, whose hard work and determined efforts revealed these additional participants in this conspiracy of public corruption and led to the charges announced today. “Individuals and companies who do business with the government are held to a high standard of accountability,” said Alway. “When these individuals decide to use the government to supplement themselves at the public’s expense, they can expect the FBI to come knocking to hold them accountable. The FBI in Mississippi will continue to work alongside our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those that criminally exploit the government.”
Evans made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge F. Keith Ball. The case has been set for trial on October 3, 2016 before U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate. The maximum penalty for the conspiracy count is 20 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The maximum penalty for the bribery count is 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Helen Wall.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
34 comments:
I knew he was a crook all along. The dude sucks.
There was a guy on the Ole Miss football team in the 70's named Butch Evans from south M
ississippi. Is this the same?
How did he have enough fingers to stick in all of the cookie jars?
Yes, Butch was a QB under Kinard and later Cooper.
Might want to check his deposits at Copiah Bank as he is listed as a director of their Board.
Didn't see that one coming. Still waiting on the other fish swimming in the FBI bucket which they are for some reason waiting to pull out.
Not surprised. Guy was always a little slippery.
He's a destructive guy. He has a string of ex-employee's that as soon as they couldn't help him, he cans them. He was partners with the guy who died years earlier on a jet ski at the rez.
this was the Evans of "Evans & Giordano"
The last one indicted will be a BIG FISH...former Gov.
Surely he want have to serve the full 20 years...
Did you know Bennie was involved with Epps but somehow got a pass. He was about to be arrested in the '90's but the White House called the Jistice Dept and stopped the FBI who were on there way to pick him up. Slippery.
That sounds exactly like what Debbie Jaudon with Integrity Group (definite Irony with that name!) and Tim Johnson/Karl Banks did to Madison County. It would be interesting to see how much money she sent their way to keep the insurance contract with Madison County for so many years!
You work hard in this business and the crooks are out there not limited to Mr Evans
Why? why why?
This states since 2013 but Evans Giordano had been doing business with Epps going back to the 90's for workers compensation services. Even back then it smelled to high heaven
We got us a regular Shawshank going on here... Waiting to see who else is swimming in the FBI bucket...
Surely there are a lot of big fish to come, I see this as a guppie. If all Epps is offering is minnows, throw his ass in Parchman, he will vomit information.
The bad thing about all of this Epps deal is not a single one has spent a night in jail. Looks like we will know there are a lot of crooks but they will not have to pay for what they have done.
You want to find corruption in government (local & state) follow insurance contracts.
Evans has been a Rez Mafioso wannabe for decades. About time he got caught. He can probably deliver the goods on a whole bunch of other folks and officials entirely unrelated to Epps.
Risking jail for $2300 per month. Not a good risk return calculation for a guy who was,supposedlay successful.
Has anyone heard any other names that MIGHT be in the indictment?
Two counts with a max sentence of 20 and 10 years respectively. Henry Wingate has a history of having sentences run "consecutively" as opposed to "concurrently", which means more time in prison. Ole Henry still has a chip on his shoulder from when his Mother worked in the kitchen at the old Robert E. Lee Hotel downtown. He was there a lot with her and they had to come and go through the back-door, which is Henry's rub. He sticks it to the "man" every chance he gets.
Fact
@ 4:28, this is the nearly the same situation. Word from an involved party is that Bennie was on the "board" (literally), but Washington told them to take him off.
I don't know if he knows it, but this man is in some REAL trouble.
Up here in Madison County we've known about the Jaudon/Elvis, ah, arrangement, for years. But, surprised Kingflash let it be said on here.
Getchur popcorn stash lined up. The corruption in MadCo prior to 1/1/16 is going to put this Epps scandal in the shade. And Banks would be well advised to save some of the money he's wasting on his challenge for his upcoming defense.
Funeral homes are about to get busy.
Although I'd like to see Bennie in stripes, you got some convincin' to do to make me understand how he could benefit Epps.
Note to self. Before becoming a criminal find lots of friends who you can rat on and stay out of jail.
to 10;06....... please tell me what is the " rez mafioso". this i gotta hear.
Looks like the FBI and DOJ are going to go one at a time on the indictments.I would love to know their strategy.They get one and he/she provides another dozen. Maybe soon they will be getting to the paper products contracts.Those boys squeezed the Charmin too many times not to be caught up in the bribery schemes.The people that made this happen became very wealthy.Same model was used.The connected ones get the contract arranged and get paid as consultants when the money starts flowing.They then pay Epps or one of his bagmen an agreed percentage. De plane,de plane,sell de plane.
2:58. You talk as if you know details. Either you were a participant or more probably a jilted lover who didn't get the contract. If so - step up to plate and give details. Don't just 'blog' about it. If you have facts as you want us to believe, bring them on and let's get some more indictments.
3:50 The details will be forth coming soon.I am not a participant or a jilted lover but I do know both.We are all leaving comments on a this blog so are we not all just blogging? Those involved in the paper products contracts already know they area a target. Sqeezing the Charim with Epps will get them 5-10.They will then give up more people when they are sqeezed. Their greedy business plan had them squeezing all of the money they could out of the taxpayers.Time for these metrosexuals to be brought down from that Epps created financial high.
It would appear that Brother Epps kept a book. All the while he thought the book could sink him, but, in the end, it keeps him off the Gallows.
I wonder if any elected folks might have had a hand out?
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