A resolute Rudy Warnock pleaded and Canton Alderman Cleveland Anderson pleaded not guilty to corruption charges at their initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court.
A federal grand jury indicted the former Canton Municipal Utilities engineer for conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud in December 2021. Anderson was indicted for two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery as well. The indictments were unsealed nearly a year later on November 22, 2022.
Flanked by attorneys Sherwood Collette and Sean Guy, a resolute Warnock stood before U.S. Magistrate Keith Ball as he pleaded not guilty to the indictments. A masked Anderson stood alone as he pleaded not guilty was well. The Court appointed public defender Omodare Jupiter to represent Anderson as he pleaded indigency.
The grand jury also indicted former Canton Alderman Andrew Grant and Canton Alderman Eric Gilkey for Conspiracy to commit bribery (2 counts), conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud in December 2021 as well. The two defendants pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy to commit bribery. They will be sentenced on February 23, 2023.
The indictment alleges the defendants bilked CMU from the beginning of 2016 to the end of 2017. Commissioner Anderson moved to hire Warnock as CMU's civil engineer on August 16, 2016.
The indictment charges Warnock made regular payments to Anderson, Gilkey, and Grant in exchange for contracts and "favorable treatment" at CMU.
Some of the Warnock gifts included tickets to luxury suites at New Orleans Saints games and concerts in the Crescent City.
The indictment charges Warnock deposited a check "in the amount of $9,200, made payable to J.M. through the automated clearinghouse system of the Federal Reserve Bank System. Part of the proceeds of this transaction were given to defendants Grant and Gilkey in the form of $4,000 cash each.
The maximum penalty for the conspiracy to commit bribery is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalties for the wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud charges are 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Judge Ball set their bond at $10,000. Trial is set for January 9, 2023 before U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate although it will almost certainly be continued.
Kingfish note: Nearly a year passed before the indictments were unsealed. Two defendants flipped. Does this mean more indictments are on the way?
24 comments:
I see two triple-double backflips coming from the Team Gilkey/Grant to maintain their low sentences.
"Does this mean more indictments are on the way?" The word I've heard up here is that it is almost a given.
The indictments were sealed for one year to allow the investigation to continue without alerting other potential defendants. During this time dozens of subpoenas were served for records, along with dozens of interviews.
The hammer will soon be dropping.
Now they will be singing. I know some worried folks out there. If you have been reading this blog site, you know who you are.
You all know the game. The more people you turn on, the less time in the hokey. On the bright side, Madison county has a nice prison. In 5 or ten years, most if not all will be out of jail.
Don Drane... I can't wait to hear your comments. Where you at man?
December 1 @ 9:55. I'm right over here in the cheap seats, like most other folks, kicked back and furiously eating popcorn. I know nothing about this. Didn't even know Warnock was associated with City of Canton contracts until I read it here. Last I heard, he had left the state, years ago, for either Georgia or Alabama.
@9:47,
These are Federal charges. No Madison county "prison" for Federal conviction.
"Nah."
Lmaoooooo.
You will know when it goes down
Trussssssss meeeeeeeee
How about the 1 million for the “study” of an airport location in a cow pasture near Flora
Maybe these people can meet and befriend Lamar Adams.
Ole Kenny Wayne Jones have escaped again.
"How about the 1 million for the “study” of an airport location in a cow pasture near Flora". Thought that was for near Endris Rd area to service Nissan.
Kenny Wayne can run, but he can't hide. Yo Kenny, having a case of insomnia?
Someone please explain the legal aspect of this please. You plead innocent to fight the charge or to make a better plea opportunity? What’s the strategy in laymen terms if there is one?
Who is J.M.?
Should have been SEC Football coaches where you get a golden parachute every time you get caught.
@ 12:55 - There have been a number of airport studies on the property you're talking about between Endris and Cotton Blossom roads fronting hwy 43 and part of Old Canton Rd way before Rudy ever came to Madison county.
The only reason an airport never came to fruition is Madison Queen Mother would not shut Bruce Campbell Field down to allow the county a new larger facility.
"How about the 1 million for the “study” of an airport location in a cow pasture near Flora"
Just to be clear: The Board of Supervisors paid him not once for that study but paid him again for the same study three years later. What was different in the second analysis? Nothing. That kept the Christmas envelopes comin'.
FAA had already told the County they would not allow another airport in the County unless Madison was willing to close Bruce Campbell field. So any $$ for a new airport study was wasted money. Anyone else could have completed a “study” with a phone call to FAA and learned that no new airport site would be approved, even if you spent $1 million on your efforts.
I didn't know a mayor could over-ride a decision of the Federal Aviation Administration.
If, for example, the agency decides to decommission Hawkins Field in Jackson, it won't matter what the mayor of Jackson thinks or says.
Case assigned to Wingate . . . justice will be SLOOOOOOOWWWW in coming.
To the gentleman furiously eating popcorn: you better get online and start ordering plus-sized clothing, because you're gonna get very fat waiting and watching this unfold.
I am in the medical profession. I read where one of the accused perpetrators in the Canton scandal is “bedridden “ with a “leg injury”. This is not an unusual avenue to try to avoid going to prison.
7:51 - Think you misread something. Actually, one of the unindicted co-conspirators might be an elected official who is also in the medical profession.
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