Video: Update: Calhoun County Supervisor Faces Two Federal Charges
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CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Federal prosecutors say Calhoun County District One Supervisor Earnest Fox “solicited a bribe” from a timber hauler.
In a two count indictment, prosecutors claim Fox told the timber hauler if he “wished to continue hauling logs and leaving mud on Calhoun County roads without official, interference, the victim would need to make a monetary “contribution” to Fox’s re-election campaign.”
The first alleged incident occurred on our about April 6, 2015.
In count two, prosecutors claim Fox told the victim he would have to pay additional money to Fox in order “continue hauling timber from other sites in Calhoun County.”
The second alleged incident occurred in the April 14 – June 9 time frame.
FBI spokesman Special Agent Jason Pack confirmed Fox was arrested in Calhoun County without incident this (Wednesday) morning.
The official charges against Fox are Interference with Commerce by threat.
*Press Release*
OXFORD, Miss.- Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of
Mississippi and Donald Alway, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi announce that: Ernest McKinnley Fox, 66, a Calhoun County, Mississippi Supervisor, was arrested today on charges of extortion under color of official right, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951.
Fox appeared before U. S. Magistrate Judge S. Allan Alexander and was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond. His arraignment is scheduled for Monday, December 21 at 2 p.m. in Oxford, Mississippi.
If convicted Fox faces maximum possible penalties of twenty years imprisonment, a $250,000, fine, and 5 years supervised release.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt and that each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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