SuaveBob (@SuaveBob)

#BREAKING Former Democrat Vice Mayor has been arrested and indicted for Fraud on felony charges of money laundering and Bid rigging city projects while in office #Mississippi The former Columbus, Mississippi, Vice Mayor Joseph Mickens was indicted by a Lowndes County grand jury after a months-long investigation by the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office. The investigation was sparked by a city whistleblower. 🔷Mickens, who served as Ward 2 councilman for more than 15 years and as vice mayor in his final term faces up to 30 years in prison and $505,000 in fines if convicted. 🔷Co-conspirator Marcus Dawson, owner of HVAC and Flooring LLC/HVAC and Mechanical LLC, faces up to 10 years and $10,000 in fines. Prosecutors say the scheme ran from May 2023 to February 2025. Here's how it worked: 🔶Mickens voted to approve a $4.4 million Propst Park Improvement Budget that included flooring work at ➡Townsend Community Center, ➡Sandfield Community Center, and ➡The City Garage. 🔶Mickens, who owns a flooring company and was ineligible for the contracts, allegedly told Dawson to submit a rigged $18,000 bid for the Townsend project. 🔶Mickens (and the council) approved it in December 2023. 🔶The city paid Dawson’s company $18,000. 🔶Dawson then funneled $5,000 back to Mickens in the form of a check, another $4,990 via a third-party and $1,575 cash for City Garage work. 🔶Mickens had personally delivered an invoice and directed payment outside normal channels. 🔶Mickens allegedly made about $11,565 total. 🔶Dawson kept about $3,000 for himself. 🔶The pair allegedly steered future HVAC contracts to Dawson in return. State Auditor Shad White said “Any elected official fleecing taxpayers for their own benefit should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The hardworking men and women at the State Auditor’s Office will continue serving as a watchdog for taxpayers.” District Attorney Scott Colom added: “Corruption in government is a betrayal of the public trust and a stain on our democracy. Public officials are entrusted with the responsibility to serve the people, not to use their positions for personal gain.” #ChristinaAguayoNews #BreakingNews