What to know about the bribery case that brought down former councilwoman Angelique Lee

After pleading guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit bribery charges on Wednesday, Angelique Lee, the former Ward 2 councilwoman, will now wait until Nov. 13 for a judge to sentence her.

Hours after she resigned from the Jackson City Council on Wednesday morning, Lee entered the Thad Cochran U.S. Courthouse where she heard the charges against her, then ultimately plead guilty to accepting bribes in exchange for her vote for a downtown development.

According to court documents, Lee was approached by two undercover FBI agents posing as real estate developers from Nashville. The agents are referred to as "Individual 1" and "Individual 2."

The charges against Lee come nearly three months after FBI agents raided the office and business of Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, as well as taking a trip to Jackson's City Hall. It's unknown what the agents were looking for, as Owens, council members and Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba have denied knowing anything about the raids.

Here's everything we know about Lee's criminal case.

When did the bribes take place?

According to court documents, in February and March, Lee met with two "developers" — who were actually undercover FBI agents — and accepted the following payments, intended as bribes, in exchange for her future vote in support of the "fictitious" downtown development:

1. $10,000 via electronic transfer to pay off a portion of Lee’s campaign debt on or about Feb. 15, 2024.
2. $3,000 in cash for Lee’s personal use on or about March 27, 2024.

Lee then spent approximately $6,000 on the "developers" credit card, given to her during a dinner meeting. Lee then purchased items at a luxury retail store, including one pair of Valentino sandals, a Christian Louboutin tote bag and sandals, one pair of earrings, one Tanya Taylor dress, a pair of sneakers, sweatpants and a t-shirt.

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In court, Lee agreed to forfeit everything she accepted.

As Lee was acting in her capacity as a city councilwoman, accepting the "cash, deposits and other gifts" is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, which is conspiracy to defraud the United States, as well as 18 U.S. Code § 666 — theft or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.

Who else was involved?

Court documents show some of the payments Lee received was funneled through an “Unindicted Co-conspirator A."

All that is known of this person is that they are "a resident of Hinds County" and are "a person known to Lee," according to court documents.

As Lee was in court, Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes held a press conference where he said he believes "there's going to be a number of indictments coming down to this community at the county level and at the city level." Stokes declined to say how he knew more arrests might be coming. He also declined to give names of those he believes have taken bribes or could be currently under investigation by the FBI.

Why did Lee accept the bribes?

Lee accepted the bribes in exchange for her support of a "fictitious" downtown development project the undercover agents were pitching to her. She also agreed to vote in favor of a road closure in furtherance of the same project, court documents show.

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What punishment is Lee facing?

The conspiracy to commit bribery charge comes with a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, according to court testimony. She could also receive three years of supervised release.

Part of Lee's guilty plea was an agreement for a reduced sentence. But during court, U.S. District Judge Daniel Patrick Jordan, who Lee entered her guilty plea with, made it a point to tell her that she could still face the maximum penalties — even with the sentencing agreements.

Lee is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13 at 10 a.m.

What is the downtown development?

In court, prosecutors referred to the downtown development the undercover FBI agents were pitching to Lee and the “Unindicted Co-conspirator A" as "fictitious."

In March 2023, the City of Jackson's Department of Planning and Development sought a request for proposals for "A Hotel and Parking Garage Feasibility/Market Analysis in the Central Business District of Downtown Jackson, Mississippi."

The RFP further states: "the selected consultant will enter into an agreement with the City to provide a Parking Garage Marketing Analysis, Feasibility Study, and Economic Impact Analysis for the Development of City-owned land across from the Jackson Convention Complex within the Downtown Area of Jackson, Mississippi."

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It's unclear if anyone responded to the bid.

And in July 2023, the city issued another request for proposals, seeking a developer to build a "mixed-used development," including a 335-room hotel, a green space and a 1,200-space parking garage. The potential development would be located and would replace the parking lot across from the Jackson Convention Complex.

WLBT reported the city issued another RFP for the same project in January 2024, but the proposal could not be found on the city's "bid opportunities" website.

It is also unclear if anyone responded to this bid.

The business owned by Hinds County DA Owens that was raided by the FBI in May is Downtown Cigar Company LLC on Pearl Street, which neighbors the parking area across from the convention complex.

According to the Mississippi Secretary of State's website, Owens also formed a company called "Facility Solutions Team LLC" on March 19. The company's nature of business is stated as "other activities related to real estate."

The Clarion Ledger unsuccessfully reached out to Owens' DA office on Wednesday, but "one of his lawyers" released a statement to Front Office Sports:

"Jody Owens’s life has been dedicated to public service, including as an intelligence officer in the United States Naval Reserves, Director of the Mississippi Office of the Southern Poverty Law Center, and presently Hinds County District Attorney," the statement reads. "It is our understanding that the federal investigation does not involve Jody’s service as District Attorney. For the past 15 years, Jody has also been engaged in real estate development. This sort of private business activity is permitted by the law even during the time a person serves as a D.A. For the moment, we have no further comment as we await the outcome of that investigation."

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: What to know about the bribery case that brought down former councilwoman Angelique Lee