Thursday, June 5, 2025

The Ballad of Rudy: Slightly Continued

 Rudy Warnock's trial will have to wait but only a little while longer.  

U.S. District Judge Kristi Johnson postponed his trial on public corruption charges from June 9 to June 23.  The case was assigned to Judge Henry Wingate but he recused himself.  Judge Carlton Reeves recused himself as well.  



Synopsis of Case 

A federal grand jury indicted former Canton Municipal Utilities engineer Rudy Warnock for conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud and Cleveland Anderson for two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery  in December 2021. The indictments were unsealed nearly a year later on November 22, 2022.  

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. The two defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery. 

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.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe Rudy has run out of people to roll on….so now it’s time to face the music

Anonymous said...

He’s gotta be in the Guinness book of records for continuances.

Anonymous said...

I’ll believe his trial starts then when I see it.

Anonymous said...

If there was a Babylon Bee in Mississippi, this case would be generating all sorts of hilarious headlines.

Anonymous said...

Rudy has been an embarrassment to ethical engineers for years, I’ll be glad when this is over.

Anonymous said...

Rudy is very talented at engineering delays.

Anonymous said...

Pretty certain all of this has been planned out for a while. Judge shopping is easy. They’ll research the new judge and put additional witnesses on the list to bring up additional issues. With enough cash to pay people off (although Rudy doesn’t participate in bribes), there will be additional continuances. Sooner or later, the consequences become less severe. He might even fire his counsel and need more time for the new counsel to get acquainted with the case. Money talks and bullshit walks.

Anonymous said...

The shame of it all rests on judges and prosecutors who are allowing him to make a mockery of the process. They have the power and authority to place this on a reasonable timeline, but they are kissing somebody's ring and bowing out. If it was any of us, we'd be tried and sentenced by now.

Anonymous said...

Rudy is a disgrace to all licensed engineers. For all those bashing construction worker on 55S working on Pearl River both North & South, I am certain these companies have openings in this MS hot weather if anyone thinks they can do. A better job . These people work hard in this heat while trying to maintain heathy body temperatures by staying hydrated! Perhaps we can all SLOW DOWN in these work zones !

Anonymous said...

If you believe that there is a good chance you are going to prison you would use every delay you could to enjoy your remaining free days. A friend’s son caused a wreck where several people died. They knew he was going to jail, and they used every continuance they could get to delay the inevitable.

Anonymous said...

All rise. The truth takes the stand—
But she won’t speak with cash in her hand.

CR tied DC to southern gold,
Skybox deals, bought and sold.

Queen wore grace, but her pockets grew,
With Becker shielding what she knew.

King once reigned in pumps and pipes,
Cutting deals beneath the stripes.
By day he ruled with concrete sway,
By night—young ladies were part of the pay.

They feasted well on lies and praise,
On cigars, steak, and whiskey haze.

And somewhere locked beyond the door—
A flash, a voice, a whispered score.
A lens, a file, a voice on play—
Enough to burn their masks away.

Now the silence begins to fray…
Shall I speak the truth—
or walk away?

Anonymous said...

They called him the Dawg of construction might,
Diggin’ no trenches, but still in the fight.
Pipe in the ground, no shovel in hand,
Yet cities were signed with a wave and a plan.

By his side rode the Hogg, sly and slick,
Engineerin’ deals with a well-oiled trick.
Threaded the needle through paper and seal,
So Vanick could show up and quietly steal.

But the wheel don’t turn without hidden command,
That’s where King Root came to stand.
Greasin’ the cogs with a whisper and nod,
While cities paid tribute and gave him the job.

Three men in shadow, no names on the file,
Smiles in meetings, but schemes all the while.
One laid the pipe, one drew the line,
The third made sure the checkbooks aligned.

So watch where you step in that polished board room,
Where ink flows like oil and deals quietly bloom.
For the Dawg digs deep, though the earth stays still—
And the Hogg and the King always seal the deal.

Anonymous said...

Your prose is strong, like the smell of "raw bo bo"
Breaking this case, like a true gumshoe.
Stay hip, stay on plain, and all will continue to follow,
Because like pigs in slop, they will continue to wallow.


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