JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A former Mississippi prosecutor is heading to federal court for sentencing after he pleaded guilty to taking cash in exchange for helping reduce a defendant’s bond.
The Clarion-Ledger reports former Hinds County Assistant District Attorney Ivon Johnson faces up to five years in federal prison at a sentencing hearing Thursday.
Johnson pleaded guilty last year to a conspiracy charge and testified against District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith, who was recently acquitted of hindering the prosecution of defendants.
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Court records say Johnson in October 2014 recommended a steep reduction in bond for a criminal defendant in exchange for $300. Prosecutors say Johnson accepted at least $15,000 to help inmates between 2013 and last year.
Federal prosecutors from Louisiana handled the case after the U.S. attorney’s office in Jackson recused itself.
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Information from: The Clarion-Ledger, https://www.clarionledger.com
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