Pubdate: Thu, 31 Jul 2003
Source: Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (MS)
Copyright: 2003 Journal Publishing Company
Contact:  http://www.djournal.com/djournal/site/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/823
Author: Associated Press

SHERIFF OF COUNTY IN MISSISSIPPI ARRESTED ON FEDERAL EXTORTION CHARGE

JACKSON - A northern Mississippi sheriff was arrested Wednesday on federal 
charges of using his office to secure kickbacks from stolen drug money and 
from a bail bond business wanting to operate in his county.

Tunica County Sheriff Jerry Ellington was taken into custody by federal 
agents on extortion and bribery charges, said U.S. Attorney Jim Greenlee 
and FBI Special Agent in Charge Edwin Worthington.

A four-count indictment was returned Monday.

"We have been investigating this for a long time," Greenlee said.

According to the indictment, from June 2002 to January Ellington took 
kickbacks of more than $5,000 after promoting a Tunica County deputy to a 
narcotics position, where the deputy could steal money from drug dealers 
and split it with Ellington.

Ellington, 45, also allegedly took payoffs of more than $5,000 from a bail 
bondsman from May to July. Ellington would take cash payments plus 30 
percent of the premium on every bond written in exchange for allowing the 
bondsman to operate in the county, the indictment charges. Ellington would 
also allegedly refer people arrested by the sheriff's office to the bondsman.

Following his arrest, Ellington made an initial appearance before a federal 
magistrate. A message left at Ellington's home seeking comment was not 
immediately returned Wednesday, and it was unclear who his attorney was.

Ellington's arrest comes more than a month after 17 deputies claimed in a 
federal lawsuit that Ellington threatened their jobs if they did not 
support his re-election bid.

Ellington, who is in his first term, took office after his elected 
predecessor in the largely rural county pleaded guilty to extortion. He 
faces four opponents in the Aug. 5 Democratic Party primary.

James Dunn, president of the county board of supervisors, said Wednesday he 
was aware of the arrest but knew no other details.

An employee at the Tunica County Sheriff's Office had no comment about 
Ellington's arrest.

The deputies' lawsuit claimed Ellington told them their employment depended 
on purchasing $25 tickets for a May campaign banquet and providing other 
assistance to his campaign. It said several deputies bought the tickets "in 
fear of losing their jobs."
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