New Corruption Counts Filed Against Hodges

By Bill Dries

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A Shelby County grand jury has replaced felony criminal charges against former Millington Mayor Richard Hodges with new corruption counts and included Marlin Roberts, the owner of a Millington transmission shop, with Hodges in the new charges.

The Shelby County grand jury charges were announced Monday, March 5, by Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation director Mark Gwyn.

Hodges, who had been charged with two counts of bribery for soliciting money in exchange for political favors is now charged with three counts of bribery.

Roberts is charged with two counts of bribery, two counts of possession with intent to sell the prescription drug Vicodin and one count of simple drug possession.

The first indictment against Hodges was returned by the grand jury in October following a set of raids by TBI agents and the Shelby County Sheriff’s office that summer that included Millington City Hall as well as Robert’s transmission shop. An affidavit filed with the search warrants alleged Roberts was operating an illegal gambling operation out of his business and that Hodges frequented it and did favors for Roberts because he owed Roberts in gambling debts. The affidavit also identified the informant in the case as Roberts.

Weirich and Gwyn said in a written statement Monday that the investigation of Hodges and Roberts continued after the first set of indictments and resulted in the charges announced Monday.

Hodges resigned as mayor in January as he awaits trial. He has pleaded not guilty to the first set of charges. Former Millington alderwoman Linda Carter was appointed interim mayor to serve the remaining year left in Hodges four year term of office.

Since then, the aldermen have discussed changing Millington’s form of government to a city manager-type government.

Slummin'

Tuesday, March 6, 2012