Jackson, Mississippi: Former District Attorney Jody Owens Sentenced to 41 Months in Bribery Case

A federal judge in Jackson sentenced former Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens to 41 months in prison on Thursday, November 5, 2026, for his role in a bribery scheme that also brought down the former mayor of Jackson and other city officials.

U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III handed down the sentence in federal court in Jackson. Owens was also fined $100,000. He must report to prison on January 4, 2027. If part of the fine is still unpaid when he leaves prison, he must pay $200 a month until the balance is paid in full, the Clarion Ledger reported. WJTV reported that he was also ordered to comply with treatment for alcoholism.

Outside the courthouse, Owens thanked his lawyers and the people who had supported him. He said he looked forward to continuing to serve the citizens of Hinds County and Mississippi, and that he planned to spend time with his family.

How the scheme worked

Owens pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy on June 29, 2026, more than four months before the sentencing. He resigned as district attorney the same day, and he later gave up his license to practice law in Mississippi.

Prosecutors said undercover FBI agents posed as developers who wanted to build a hotel near the Jackson Convention Complex in downtown Jackson. According to federal prosecutors, Owens helped move money from the agents to Jackson officials in exchange for their support for the project.

The payments included $50,000 to former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, $10,000 to former Jackson City Councilman Aaron Banks and money and shopping trips for former Jackson City Councilwoman Angelique Lee, the Clarion Ledger reported. Five people were convicted in the scheme in all: Owens, Lumumba, Banks, Lee and Jackson businessman Sherik Marve' Smith.

The investigation became public in November 2024, when federal prosecutors unveiled an indictment against Owens, Lumumba and Banks. The conspiracy count carried a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The other cases

Lumumba and Banks pleaded guilty on July 6, 2026, a week after Owens. Lumumba's sentencing was delayed and is now set for November 20, 2026. Jordan said Lumumba faces between 37 and 46 months in prison under the guidelines. Banks was scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday afternoon.

Owens was the top prosecutor in Hinds County, which includes Jackson, the state capital. His guilty plea forced a special election to replace him. Voters will choose his successor in a runoff on December 1, 2026, and the winner will serve through January 2028, when Owens' term would have ended.

What happens next

Owens remains free until he reports to prison on January 4, 2027. The sentence closes the court phase of his case two years after the indictment became public, while the cases against the remaining defendants move toward their own sentencing dates later in November.