Just hours after her abrupt resignation, former Jackson City Councilwoman Angelique Lee has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes while serving as an elected official.
According to court documents obtained by SuperTalk Mississippi News, Lee made her initial court appearance on Wednesday afternoon before a subsequent arraignment hearing, in which she entered a guilty plea on one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery. The former Ward 2 councilwoman accepted thousands of dollars in cash and luxury items in exchange for her support of a staged real estate project presented to her by undercover FBI sources.
Lee accepted bribes of $13,654 in cash and used an additional $6,000 on a credit card provided by one of the FBI sources between February and March 2024. On top of the monetary bribes, Lee received designer handbags, Golden Goose shoes, among other items, to vouch for the real estate project and the closure of a road related to the project through her role as a city council member.
Two individuals were named as ‘a confidential human source’ employed by the FBI and “purported to be a real estate developer from Nashville, Tennessee, seeking to invest in and develop a property in downtown Jackson, Mississippi,” per the five-page filing.
“Lee is accused of committing offenses against the United States, including Federal Program Bribery, that is, to corruptly solicit, demand, accept, and agree to accept for her own benefit, things of value from [FBI sources ]… intending to be influenced and rewarded in connection with any business transaction and series of transactions of the city of Jackson, valued at $5,000 or more,” the filing continues.
Lee waived her right to a grand jury before entering the guilty plea. Her sentencing date is set for Nov. 13, 2024, with a maximum five years in prison and $250,000 in fines to be decided on by a federal judge.
This come months after FBI agents raided the business and office of Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens while paying a visit to City Hall. An unidentified co-conspirator mentioned in court documents has yet to be indicted.
Ben Milam contributed to this report.
