By Woody Baird
Associated Press Writer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. —; A former state senator who was caught on videotape taking a stack of money from an FBI informant was convicted today of extortion.
Roscoe Dixon, a Memphis Democrat, was among five current or former state lawmakers charged with taking payoffs from a fake company set up by the FBI to catch corrupt lawmakers.
Dixon, the first lawmaker to go to trial in the Tennessee Waltz corruption investigation, was charged with taking $9,500 in bribes from E-Cycle Management.
Prosecutors said Dixon took the money in exchange for trying to get state law changed so E-Cycle could buy and recycle used government computers.
The jury found Dixon guilty on all five counts after deliberating for less than two days.
His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 8, and the maximum penalty is 90 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine.
After the verdict, Dixon told reporters he had been tricked by the federal government and by the men who gave him money. He also said the charges were an attempt to weaken black political power in Memphis.
Dixon is black, as are eight of the 10 defendants charged in Tennessee Waltz. He had resigned from the Senate before his indictment to take a top administrative job with Shelby County government.
Dixon said he had not decided if he would appeal, and he refused to comment on whether he might cooperate with prosecutors to get a lighter sentence.
“I’ve got to go back and retrace my steps and say, ’Hey, what did you do wrong?’ and try not to do that again,” Dixon said.
U.S. Attorney David Kustoff refused to talk about how Dixon’s conviction might affect pending cases against other Tennessee lawmakers.
“Operation Tennessee Waltz is an active, ongoing investigation,” Kustoff said. “The public demands trust in their elected officials, and if elected officials violate the public trust, then we’ll prosecute.”
The jury heard five days of testimony and watched two video clips showing Dixon taking money. Jurors also heard recordings of two Dixon associates talking with undercover agents about how much the senator would charge to file legislation for E-Cycle.
Dixon acknowledged taking $2,500 in E-Cycle cash from an aide and a government informant, but he denied doing anything illegal for the money. He described the money as gifts from friends grateful for his help in their efforts to become legislative lobbyists.
Dixon said he got $1,000 from Barry Myers, a former aide who has pleaded guilty to passing along bribes. He also acknowledged taking $1,500 from former associated Tim Willis, who was an FBI informant.
One video clip showed Dixon at a Memphis apartment in 2004 with Willis and Myers. Willis drops cash on a coffee table; Myers counts it and lays it out in several stacks.
“Throw me one of those stacks, man,” Dixon tells Myers.
Myers and Dixon both testified against Dixon.
The Tennessee Waltz scandal rocked the state Legislature when indictments were made public last year and led to changes in state ethics laws.
One former lawmaker charged in the case, Rep. Chris Newton, R-Cleveland, has pleaded guilty and is serving a one-year prison sentence.
The others lawmakers charged are Sen. Ward Crutchfield, D-Chattanooga; Sen. Kathryn Bowers, D-Memphis; and former Sen. John Ford, D-Memphis. They have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Bowers declined to comment on the verdict, and Crutchfield referred questions to his Nashville attorney, Bill Farmer.
“Every case is different,” said Farmer, who declined to comment further.
Three county officials, in Chattanooga and Memphis, also were indicted in the Tennessee Waltz case, as were two “bagmen” who have pleaded guilty to handling bribe money for lawmakers.
See tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press for full coverage.
Associated Press Writer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. —; A former state senator who was caught on videotape taking a stack of money from an FBI informant was convicted today of extortion.
Roscoe Dixon, a Memphis Democrat, was among five current or former state lawmakers charged with taking payoffs from a fake company set up by the FBI to catch corrupt lawmakers.
Dixon, the first lawmaker to go to trial in the Tennessee Waltz corruption investigation, was charged with taking $9,500 in bribes from E-Cycle Management.
Prosecutors said Dixon took the money in exchange for trying to get state law changed so E-Cycle could buy and recycle used government computers.
The jury found Dixon guilty on all five counts after deliberating for less than two days.
His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 8, and the maximum penalty is 90 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine.
After the verdict, Dixon told reporters he had been tricked by the federal government and by the men who gave him money. He also said the charges were an attempt to weaken black political power in Memphis.
Dixon is black, as are eight of the 10 defendants charged in Tennessee Waltz. He had resigned from the Senate before his indictment to take a top administrative job with Shelby County government.
Dixon said he had not decided if he would appeal, and he refused to comment on whether he might cooperate with prosecutors to get a lighter sentence.
“I’ve got to go back and retrace my steps and say, ’Hey, what did you do wrong?’ and try not to do that again,” Dixon said.
U.S. Attorney David Kustoff refused to talk about how Dixon’s conviction might affect pending cases against other Tennessee lawmakers.
“Operation Tennessee Waltz is an active, ongoing investigation,” Kustoff said. “The public demands trust in their elected officials, and if elected officials violate the public trust, then we’ll prosecute.”
The jury heard five days of testimony and watched two video clips showing Dixon taking money. Jurors also heard recordings of two Dixon associates talking with undercover agents about how much the senator would charge to file legislation for E-Cycle.
Dixon acknowledged taking $2,500 in E-Cycle cash from an aide and a government informant, but he denied doing anything illegal for the money. He described the money as gifts from friends grateful for his help in their efforts to become legislative lobbyists.
Dixon said he got $1,000 from Barry Myers, a former aide who has pleaded guilty to passing along bribes. He also acknowledged taking $1,500 from former associated Tim Willis, who was an FBI informant.
One video clip showed Dixon at a Memphis apartment in 2004 with Willis and Myers. Willis drops cash on a coffee table; Myers counts it and lays it out in several stacks.
“Throw me one of those stacks, man,” Dixon tells Myers.
Myers and Dixon both testified against Dixon.
The Tennessee Waltz scandal rocked the state Legislature when indictments were made public last year and led to changes in state ethics laws.
One former lawmaker charged in the case, Rep. Chris Newton, R-Cleveland, has pleaded guilty and is serving a one-year prison sentence.
The others lawmakers charged are Sen. Ward Crutchfield, D-Chattanooga; Sen. Kathryn Bowers, D-Memphis; and former Sen. John Ford, D-Memphis. They have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Bowers declined to comment on the verdict, and Crutchfield referred questions to his Nashville attorney, Bill Farmer.
“Every case is different,” said Farmer, who declined to comment further.
Three county officials, in Chattanooga and Memphis, also were indicted in the Tennessee Waltz case, as were two “bagmen” who have pleaded guilty to handling bribe money for lawmakers.
See tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press for full coverage.
