/Teresa Malone indicted in prisons bribery case

Teresa Malone indicted in prisons bribery case

The U.S. District Court in southern Mississippi did not seal Malone’s July 13th indictment. On Aug. 3, she will make her first appearance before Judge Keith Ball, Magistrate. Malone’s indictment was made public hours after Mark Longoria, a Texas businessman, was accused of paying bribes through a Rankin County firm to Epps. Longoria is also scheduled to appear before Ball on Aug. 3. Malone, 54, could face up to 30 years imprisonment and $750,000 in fines if he is convicted of all three charges. Her indictment states that Malone was a consultant paid by AdminPros LLC. This company provided services for Medicaid eligibility and monitoring medical vendors to the Mississippi Department of Corrections. From October 2010 to July 17, 2014 she was paid $5,000 per mois from the revenue from those contracts. Malone is charged with conspiring to pay bribes and kickbacks to Epps by using interstate wire transmissions. The indictment says that her goal was to get Epps to retain and award AdminPros contracts with the corrections agency. According to the government, Malone paid Epps in cash amounts ranging from $1,000 to $1750 starting in 2010. She was also paid $170,000 by AdminPros. Epps would then “kickback cash”. Bennett Malone was her husband and chairman of the House Corrections Committee in the final years of his legislative career. He is no longer an official. Longoria (53), was arrested Monday in a criminal investigation. This is a formal, not grand jury, charge by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He could face up to five years imprisonment and a $250,000 penalty if convicted of conspiracy. He could also be subject to forfeiture of cash or property. According to the four-page federal accusation, Longoria was an Officer in Drug Testing Corp. which won the Mississippi Department of Corrections contract for selling drug test cups for drug screening. Longoria is accused of using Investigative Research Inc. as a conduit for bribes to Epps. Federal authorities claim that DTC entered into a commission agreement for Investigative Research Inc. with Cecil McCrory, a codefendant with Epps. In August 2013, DTC invoiced the Department of Corrections with more than $632,000. The federal information filing shows that McCrory received $194,837.50 from DTC a month later after DTC had been paid. According to the federal filing, DTC sent McCrory $34,997.64 and charged the corrections department $149,940 in May 2014. McCrory admitted to bribing Epps in exchange for contract awards. However, Carlos Tanner, his attorney, has informed the court that his client will not plead guilty. The government will also request forfeiture of all proceeds and property “involved and traceable” to the alleged offenses if Longoria and Malone are found guilty. Assistant U.S. attorney Darren LaMarca stated last week that more conspirators in the scheme were to be revealed on Monday. However, Longoria and Malone seem to be the only new co-defendants. Jackson OB/GYN Doctor Carl Reddix (57) was charged with bribing Epps to sign a contract for Reddit’s company, Health Assurance LLC, to provide inmate healthcare services at four state prisons. He has not entered a plea and is currently free on bond. Epps was scheduled to be sentenced on July 18. However, counsel from both sides continue to go through documents to determine the extent of the state’s losses due to Epps’ corruption. This will impact his sentence. Another two defendants are awaiting sentencing, while another is awaiting trial in October. To support this important work, you can make a regular donation to the Spring Member Drive today.