Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Convicted Felon Works for Hinds Supervisor

 Convicted felon and former prosecutor Ivon Johnson worked as Hinds County Supervisor Bobcat McGowan's assistant  for over two years.   

Mr. McGowan paid Mr. Johnson $2,151 per month as his Special Projects Officer from January 2020 to April 2022. 

Ivon Johnson achieved notoriety as a prosecutor under former District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith.  The former attorney pleaded guilty to conspiracy as he admitted to taking bribes in exchange for reducing bonds on criminal defendants.  Earlier post.

The prosecutor also moonlighted as an attorney while working for the District Attorney.  Such work is illegal.   

Oddly enough, Hinds County stonewalled on providing the records of Ivon Johnson's employment.  Yours truly submitted a request on March 10 for the dates of his employment, job classification, and rate of pay.  Emails and phone calls merely received the standard "we are working on it" response, law be damned.  

JJ finally filed a public records complaint last week. Whammo! Hinds County provided the records the next day.

46 comments:

Anonymous said...

What's that smell coming out of Bobcat's office?

Anonymous said...

I assume this is the same lowlife who agreed to wear a wire to unsuccessfully entice RSS into making a statement incriminating himself. He did all that to save his own sorry ass from what? Why isn't he in jail? Didn't he admit to taking bribes? It appears you can get away with damn near anything in Hinds County if you know somebody or maybe something about somebody.

Anonymous said...

So? Is it against the law to be a convicted felon while working for a hinds county supervisor?

Anonymous said...

What the hell. First they hire Kenny Wayne then this POS. Are there no qualified people available to work in that whole county? The whole damn county has become a criminal enterprise. Stinks to high heaven.

Anonymous said...

What a great guy-

Anonymous said...

Convicted felons deserve to work, or otherwise they will be forced to re-enter into the life of crime.

Anonymous said...

He fits in perfectly. Good call Bobcat.

Kingfish said...

Fair enough. But why does it seem thieves and neer do wells always gravitate towards public pay?

Anonymous said...

Fair enough response, in which case, trust but verify!

Anonymous said...

And the point is - Felons are not entitled to work? Felons are not entitled to work in certain positions? Best thing for a person who has been convicted of a crime is to work for a living instead of committing another crime. They have a history and employer should not put them in certain positions, but refusing to hire a person with a criminal record is not the way to go.

Anonymous said...

Good question KF! What's the old saying about birds of the same feather flock together!

Anonymous said...

Here's the problem with hiring this guy, in my opinion:

"Yours truly submitted a request on March 10 for the dates of his employment, job classification, and rate of pay. Emails and phone calls merely received the standard "we are working on it" response, law be damned."

It isn't so much that they did. It's that they insist on secrecy and avoiding accountability in doing it.

Hiring a former prosecutor who was disbarred for taking bribes for leniency, in a jurisdiction that includes the homicide capitol of the U.S., definitely merits an explanation.

Anonymous said...

10:52 That's exactly what he's done. He's reentered.

11:19 But seriously, he took bribes and criminally abused his position with HINDS County in the D.A.s office. This was no misdemeanor, and he pled guilty. Now within less than 2 years he goes back to work for that same county? Bullshit. It would seem that the LAST place he could get a job within a short time would be Hinds County. The ink wasn't even dry on his conviction. Show me one private business or one other county in the U.S. where you get away with that?

Anonymous said...

Birds of a feather, mutual respect, Appreciation of experience, Surround yourselt with talent. Public service and so on.

Anonymous said...

the guy has a job, any man working and trying to put bread on his own table is a win.

Anonymous said...

Supervisor Bobby McGowan should be held responsible for this, especially when Ivan Johnson received a check and never came to work.

Anonymous said...

He is getting paid $25,000 PER YEAR to answer the phone, turn in work orders and attend meetings. You guys are losing your minds over nothing. I’m glad to see him working.

Anonymous said...

If he's paid his debt to society, fuck off.

Anonymous said...

All we really know is that he is on the payroll. Working? Why not let a few other sets of eyes look into this?

County Cletus said...

10:52…..What the hell you think he’s been doing the last two years? Helping the Board of Supervisors secure stolen funds from the taxpayers in Hinds county.

Anonymous said...

Rumors are Ivan Johnson never worked 1 hour in Hinds County. He's been working in Louisiana and getting free tax payers money. Bobcats wife have a gambling problem and the check Ivan was getting could been going to casino with Bobcats wife. He probably will have to work with authorities when the right time come.

Anonymous said...

Bobcat also have used county equipment to do private jobs on the side. Like bushhogging and putting down County covers for a small fee. Bobcat voted against the creek in northeast Jackson because IMS didn't receive contract, their brown bag people.

Anonymous said...

I thought it was going to name some of the supervisors as felons
Credell mainly. Only in a just world. No one is a bigger crook than that old bag

Anonymous said...

To those of you saying "So what?" and "He's paid his dues". Yes, but I work in banking and if I ever get fired for stealing I would be blacklisted so fast I would never be able to find a job in the banking and likely financial sector without lying by omission (a fireable offense).

You all are emblematic of the problems with Jackson. Should he be able to have a career? Absolutely. In another field.

Anonymous said...

I remember when that guy got caught and pled guilty. I knew he would try to make a deal to reduce his "time" but I always thought he would turn up in Georgia, Texas, or Louisiana trying to rebuild his life in places where his
misdeeds were not known. I guess I have a lot to learn about this place where I live. He didn't even have to wait for the shit to "blow over". He just goes back to work for Hinds County Mississippi. But then again, maybe everything "blows over" in Hinds County.

Anonymous said...

Come on people. It's Jackson. Just be glad he hasn't shot and killed somebody. Anything less than that is no big deal. Let him earn.

Then again, in Jackson just one shooting is no big deal.

Anonymous said...

Based on how the Bar has recently looked at the "unbecoming" behaviors of other lawyers, I wouldn't be surprised if this cat still has is law license!

Anonymous said...

2:07, um answering the phone and being a grunt for $10 per hour is definitely a different field than being a practicing attorney.

Anonymous said...

Clearly Graham or Archie’s SPO is posting on here today. Not hard to spot.

Anonymous said...

Is this shocking to anyone? Just another day in Hinds County…

Anonymous said...

I don't believe he pled guilty to anything in Hinds county -show me a conviction. Ivon Johnson pled guilty in federal court after he ran off to Louisiana and cried to a US attorney there. He has never been prosecuted for his Hinds County State crimes to my knowledge and yet is working basically across the street getting paid by the county.

Kingfish said...

never said he did although the federal court that accepted his guilty plea is in Hinds County.

Anonymous said...

Responding to: "Fair enough. But why does it seem thieves and neer do wells always gravitate towards public pay?"

Possibly because privately owned businesses won't hire them...

But face it, we need ex-cons to work for a living, somewhere. Here's an idea: Hire them to pick up garbage in Jackson.

Anonymous said...

I call District 5 office every week and a Special Project Officer has yet to come to my house or property. Another Special Project Officer from another district came and got my complaint handled. Thank Supervisor Archie for sending John Taylor to handle my problem on Jack Johnson Rd.

Anonymous said...

Kenny Wayne is the County Administrator, nuf said!

Anonymous said...

I read every post and don't know anybody mentioned in the article or the posts. That said, if the man has paid his dues, I'm good with him working in any job he can find. Nobody has hired him to abscond with money from the county and he's no doubt trying to get past all of that and start over. Good on him. Fuck y'all.

The criminals you need to worry about are not those who have been sentenced and served their time. It's those you don't suspect who are ripping you off day and night and won't be caught. You might have even sat beside them in Sunday School two days ago.

Anonymous said...

John Caldwell, Northern Highway Commissioner, has an ex cop felon body guard/Special Projects Officer working for him.

Anonymous said...

Bobby McGowan is voting with Credell Calhoun and Calhoun is currently looking for someone to pay to run against Bobby McGowan & David Archie & Robert Graham..

Anonymous said...

Interesting that it's illegal for a prosecutor to practice law on the side. Does that same law apply to Ag Commissioner Gipson when he practices law on the side? Because he does, and makes no bones about it.

Anonymous said...

If sentence is served and especially off probation then one in my view is restored. Yet making one crawl over broken glass to see how public funds are used make it seem something wrong occurred. Are we forever going to be in different 'pals, good ole boys, family' clubs and not ever get off the bottom?

Anonymous said...

I am one of those who believes if a person has done their time for any crime they committed they should be treated just like a person who has not committed a crime. I also believe in hiring the best person for the job. Take a good look at the experience and knowledge of the person applying for a job. If you are looking to hire a person to do a job that is against the law then someone with experience with being a crook is a good choice. If you want an honest person the person who has spent time in prison has one strike against them.

Anonymous said...

Talking about felons, Credell hired Louis Armstrong a criminal and cocaine addict in Hinds County. The word is Credell is paying him back for going to prison for him in his city council days.

Anonymous said...

11:57 When someone has abused the public trust by his criminal conduct, not just one little mistake, but a course of criminal conduct, he should be expected to earn the trust before he can be employed by that same employer that he screwed. Is that not common sense? This guy went right back to work for Hinds County quick and fast. What is the purpose of backgrounds checks?

Anonymous said...

Credell has earned his high four after a long career in the legislature. Why would he even run again next year?

And heaven help us when you think about who might run in his place.

Anonymous said...

6:11 pm
Who have you qheard will run in his place. Km hear Z. Summers his wife neice.

Anonymous said...

Did they ever find the tractors at Bobcat house.



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