Cecil McCrory sentenced in prison bribery case

Cecil McCrory, the central figure in the corruption case of former Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps, was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison Friday, but his sentence could be reduced after all defendants in the Epps case are sentenced, a federal judge ruled.

McCrory, 66, a former legislator, was accused of bribing Epps and raking in cash from sweetheart contracts and consulting fees.

In November 2014, Epps and McCrory were formally charged in a 49-count federal indictment in one of the largest corruption cases in Mississippi history.

Epps is accused of taking at least $1.4 million in bribes and kickbacks over eight years to steer more than $800 million worth of state prison contracts, mostly to companies owned or associated with McCrory.

McCrory's attorney, Carlos Tanner, said his client received about $3 million in commissions and other revenue off such contracts. The U.S. attorney's office said he received about $4.6 million.

In sentencing McCrory, U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate said the corruption case has tarnished the reputation of Mississippi and its penal system.

"This is a serious crime that has snared Mississippi," Wingate said.

Wingate also fined McCrory $150,000 and McCrory already had agreed to forfeit $1.2 million. On Friday, McCrory attempted to present a check for $1.1 million to the U.S. Attorney's Office as part of the forfeiture amount. However, the U.S. Attorney's Office officials urged that McCrory keeps the check over the weekend and present it to the U.S. Marshals Service on Monday.

In addition to Epps and McCrory, others charged are former state Sen. Irb Benjamin of Madison; Teresa Malone, the wife of former lawmaker and former House Corrections Chairman Bennett Malone; Texas businessman Mark Longoria; Dr. Carl Reddix; business and government consultant Robert Simmons; former MDOC insurance broker Guy E. "Butch" Evans; and prison consultant Sam Waggoner.

McCrory pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. He faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca said prosecutors were prepared to recommend a  sentence of eight years, but when McCrory filed a motion in court in December to withdraw his guilty plea LaMarca said that breached a plea agreement with the government. Subsequently, LaMarca recommended a sentence of at least 14 years.

Still, LaMarca said Friday that McCrory's early assistance with authorities was the main key in unraveling kickbacks to Epps. He said on a scale of one to 10, McCrory's help and cooperation was a nine.

Wingate said he was sentencing McCrory to 8½ years because of his early cooperation with authorities, including meeting with them without an attorney for several months.

McCrory said if he would have walked away from Epps when he first began making the kickbacks, he feared would have forced into bankruptcy and would have lost millions and his home.

"I have extreme remorse," McCrory told Wingate. "I can't make this right, but whatever I can do to offset the wrong, I will do it."

Wingate said he will consider reducing McCrory's sentence if it is out of line with the sentence of others in case. Waggoner is the only other defendant who has already been sentenced. He received five years in prison, but LaMarca said Waggoner had a lesser role in the scheme than McCrory.

McCrory will remain out on bond until he reports to prison April 4.

McCrory's son, Josh McCrory, an attorney, testified Friday as a character witness for his father.

When asked by Wingate for his theory as to why his father — who had never been in trouble before would commit the crime — the younger McCrory said "the obvious theory that it was greed I don't think is correct. It isn't greed. My dad has never owned fancy cars or spent a lot of money. He trusts everyone. Chris Epps is an evil man ... He (Epps) found someone he could take advantage of. "

"My dad made a bad mistake; a terrible mistake," Josh McCrory testified.

Epps, who pleaded guilty to money laundering and filing false tax returns, is set for sentencing in May. He faces a maximum 23 years in prison.

Epps had said he first met McCrory in 1997 when McCrory was serving in the Mississippi Legislature, and the bribes began soon thereafter. Epps was working in the Mississippi Department of Corrections then but was not yet commissioner.

In 2008, after McCrory sold GT Enterprises and Epps gave McCrory a favorable recommendation, McCrory sent $200,000 in payments to pay off the mortgage that Epps had on his then-3,800-square-foot home in Flowood with a $360,000 price tag.

McCrory has said Epps approached him about paying off the home.

Prosecutors say Epps used the equity to take out a loan for a condominium in Biloxi. After McCrory paid off that condo, Epps used that equity to get a bigger condominium in Pass Christian.

When the FBI arrested Epps, agents found $69,600 in cash in his safe. There was also about $1 million in his investment-retirement account, prosecutors said. Epps forfeited about $2 million, which included the $1 million in the investment-retirement account,  his Flowood home, his Pass Christian condo and two Mercedes-Benz cars.

Contact Jimmie E. Gates at 601-961-7212 or jgates@gannett.com . Follow him on Facebook and Twitter .