Jackson Jambalaya

Former CMU Engineer Rudy Warnock will be going to prison for public corruption.  A jury convicted Warnock of two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery (I&II), one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud (III), and wire fraud (IV).  

U.S. District Judge Kristi Johnson sentenced Warnock to serve 60 months in prison for counts I and II but must serve them consecutively.  The Court sentenced Warnock  to 84 months for counts III and IV but ordered them served concurrently to each other.  However, Judge Johnson ruled the sentence for counts III and IV will run consecutive to counts I and II.  

Thus, Rudy Warnock will serve 144 months in prison. Although the sentencing range is 155 months to 235 months, she deviated slightly from the sentencing guidelines.  The prosecution objected to the downward variance but to no avail. 

"I do hope you use this time to better yourself and think about your future when you get out," said Judge Johnson to the disgraced engineer. 

Warnock attorney John Collette asked if Warnock could spend a few moments with his wife.  Judge Johnson said she does not allow it in any cases and "I'm not going to bend it" as Brooke Warnock quietly cried. 

The federal grand jury indicted Warnock in 2021. The indictment alleges Warnock, CMU Commissioner Cleve Anderson, former Canton Ealdorman Andrew Grant, and Canton Ealdorman Eric Gilkey bilked CMU from the beginning of 2016 to the end of 2017. Anderson arranged the hiring of Warnock as CMU engineer in August 2016.  

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.  

Gilkey and Grant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.  A jury convicted Anderson of conspiracy to commit bribery in July.   The three Canton stalwarts await sentencing. 

U.S. District Judge Kristi Johnson presided over sentencing this morning.  Assistant U.S. Attorney and Clinton's First Lady Kimberly Purdie said Judge Johnson should follow sentencing guidelines and sentence Warnock to serve between 155 and 225 months in prison.  Warnock's legal team asked Judge Johnson to sentence Warnock to no more than 21 months in prison.  

Clad in dark gray, a shackled Warnock stood before Judge Johnson with his attorneys Thomas Spina of Birmingham and our old friend John Collette.  Judge Johnson opened the hearing by stating the Bureau of Prisons found Warnock mentally competent for sentencing. 

The Court had revoked Warnock's bond when the defendant crashed his vehicle and slashed his wrists the day he was convicted in federal court.   

Spina argued Warnock was not a public official.  Sentencing Warnock as a public official enhanced his sentencing.  "As Canton engineer, he was not a public official.  He wasn't elected.  He had no decision-making authority," argued Spina.  

Purdie swatted down Spina, "The offense did involve public officials, Grant and Gilkie.  Public officials shall be construed broadly and can include an officer or employee acting for an agency, government, or branch of government.  Although he didn't have de facto authority, there was testimony he (Warnock) ran CMU in reality."   The prosecutor added Warnock used his position to authorize work and select engineering firms . 

Judge Johnson overruled Warnock as she decreed a public official includes any person in a position of public trust with responsibility.  Thus the enhancement was appropriate. 

Warnock's legal team offered another objection to the prosecution's sentencing recommendation.  Spina claimed there was "zero loss. Services were provided. This is a gratuities case, not a bribery case.  Rudy Warnock lived his life this way even before he was a Canton engineer.  He has always been a guy that provided gratuities, tokens of appreciation, and helped people who were underserved and underprivileged. He provided a service to CMU for which he was compensated." Spina added Warnock did not submit inflated invoices nor did he divert public funds. 

A prosecutor reminded the Court Warnock was convicted of bribery. "What Rudy Warnock did was he bribed his way into the position of Canton engineer.  To do that, he had to push Waggoner Engineering out of the way.  Then he generated contracts through his bribery conduct."  

The two sides squabbled on the amount of the loss due to Warnock's illegal behavior.  No small matter as a finding the loss was between $3.5 million and $9.5 million enhanced Warnock's sentence. Judge Johnson ruled the loss met the enhancement guidelines.  

Warnock declined to address the Court when offered the chance, merely stating "I'd just like to ask the Court to have mercy on me, my wife, and my children."  

Judge Johnson pronounced sentence on Rudy Warnock, condemning him to a life behind bars for the next twelve years.  The esteemed jurist justified the 144-month sentence: "I don't think there is a question this is a serious offense.  This is not a gratuity with no victims.  This kind of public corruption erodes public trusts. It also harms law-abiding businesses who are pushed aside when corruption is allowed." 

Marshals led the once high-flying defendant to his new life. 

Update: Judge Johnson entered this in the docket: 

MINUTE ENTRY for proceedings held before District Judge Kristi H. Johnson: Sentencing held on December 10, 2025, for Rudolph M. Warnock, Jr. as to Counts 1, 2, 3, and 4. PSR was adopted in its entirety. Sentence of the Court: 60 months imprisonment as to Counts 1 and 2, to run consecutively to each other, and 84 months as to Counts 3 and 4 to run concurrently to each other and consecutively to Counts 1 and 2 for a total of 144 months followed by a 3-year term of supervised release per count to run concurrently. Defendant ordered to pay a $100,000 fine and a $100 special assessment per count for a total of $400. Defendant remains in custody. APPEARANCES: Kimberly Taft Purdie and David H. Fulcher, AUSA; Thomas J. Spina, John M. Collette, and Jeffrey Matthew Graves for Defendant; Olivia Terry and Allie Whitten, USPOs;