JACKSON, Miss.- Dr. Carl Reddix, 57, of Jackson has been charged with paying bribes and kickbacks to former Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Christopher Epps. Investigators said he did all of this for contracts with prisons in the state. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday.
The announcement comes from Acting United States Attorney Harold Brittain and FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Donald Alway.
Reddix was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and six counts of bribery. According to investigator’s reports Reddix began bribing the commissioner in 2012 and it lasted until October of 2014.
“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.”
The indictment accuses Reddix of making cash payments to Epps in amounts ranging from $8,000 to $9,500 per month from May to October of 2014.
The contracts Reddix was provided were valued at over $29 million.
Dr. Reddix will make an appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge F. Keith Ball Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. He faces the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy count. He faces another 10 years and $250,000 fine for each individual bribery count.
