John Wiley Price pleads not guilty while shackled before judge
Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price(Photo: WFAA)DALLAS Dallas County Commissioner JohnWileyPrice and three associates have pleaded not guilty after being arrested by FBI agents Friday, ushering in a new chapter in what is arguably the most high profile public corruption investigation in Dallas history. news conference. She said for more than a decade, Price sold the power of his office in a shocking betrayal of public trust.
A 106 page federal corruption indictment, filed under seal on July 23, is now public. It outlines patagonia better sweater discounta million dollar web of mail fraud, tax fraud, bribery and other malfeasance allepatagonia guide pants jcpenney3gedly led by Price, who faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Also charged is Price s top assistant, Dapheny Fain, who surrendered to the FBI Friday morning, according to her attorney Tom Mills.
Popatagonia chile ranch for salelitical consultant Kathy Nealy, a close Price associate, is also a defendant in the case. Her attorney could not be reached. Nealy was expected to surrender Friday.
A fourth defendant, Christian Lloyd Campbell, is also charged. According to the indictment, he is a consultant who wpatagonia guide pants jcpenney2orked with Nealy. Magistrapatagonia catalyst daypack reviewte Judge Paul Stickney Friday afternoon at the federal courthouse in downtown Dallas.
They came into the courtroom wearing handcuffs and shackles. All four of thepatagonia guide softshell pantsm pleaded Not Guilty. Price was dressed in business attire when he confidently and adamantly claimed his innocence.
Nealy and Fain are both filing paperwork to have the government help them pay for their legal counsel.
The four were then expected to be released pending trial, which may not occur for a year or more.
In the indictment, the government says Price and his co conspirators accepted $950,000 in bribes in exchange for Price voting favorably for companies bidding for get county contracts.
According to the government, here s how the scheme worked:
Nealy, a political consultant, worked on behalf of large compapatagonia jackets discount for younies seeking multi mpatagonia discount code paintingillion dollar contracts with Dallas County.
Nealy told those companies she could get them favorable votes at Commissioners Court. And that s exactly what they got from Price.
The government alleges that in exchange for bribes paid through Nealy, Price voted in favor of her clients. He also allegpatagonia guide pants jcpenney1edly provided the businesses with confidential information that other bidders didpatagonia better sweater coat small not get.
In exchange for the votes, the government says Nealy funneled bribes to Price, many paid just before or after key votes. The indictment says Nealy also provided Price with cars, real estate and income from rental properties.
According to the government, these were large county contracts, with one set of companies getting up to $17.5 million in county business.
The governmepatagonia discount code rental carsnt says Price, Nealy, and Price assistant Daphney Fain used 31 bank accounts in an effort to move money around in way that would not be detected.
CHART: Financial benefits given to John Wiley Price by Kathy Nealy
News 8 has been following the FBI investigation for three years.
Price is one of the most powerful politicians in North Texas. Since he was first elected in 1984 as Dallas County s first African American commissioner, Price has made a career out of vocal, forceful advocacy of minority issues. He also has close ties to some of Dallas business epatagonia everlong review 6dlite, giving him great power and influence.
Known by many of his constituents as Our Man Downtown, Price resides over District 3, which encompasses West Dallas, downtown, and a wide swath of southeastern Dallas, Hutchins and Seagovipatagonia guide pants jcpenney0lle.
He s been under FBI scrutiny since at least the summer of 2011. That s when dozens of agents searched his home and office for evidence of corruption. Agents also searched the homes of Fain and Nealy.
During that search, FBI agents seized more than $229,000 in cash along with a collection of expatagonia guide pants jcpenneypensive watches from a safe in Price s Oak Cliff home across from Lake Cliff Park.
Agents seized an additional $230,000 from a Dallas County builder, who was set to pay that money to Price for the purchase of a then vacant 9 acre tract of land at 7001 Grady Niblo Road in Dallas. That builder has since taken control of that property and has built an apartment complex on it.
