Former Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson, brought up on eight federal charges related to allegations he was bribed by developers and businessmen, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of extortion and one count of evidence tampering at a hearing in federal court in Maryland.
Six counts against him will be dropped, reports ABC7.
Johnson and his wife Leslie Johnson were arrested in November after they allegedly tried to hide and destroy evidence of a bribe by a local contractor. Leslie Johnson, who had just been elected a member of the Prince George’s County Council, was accused of stuffing cash in her bra and flushing a check down the toilet as FBI agents knocked at her front door. She had a plea hearing set for May 5, but it was cancelled.
Additional arrests — including the arrests of a couple which owned a popular liquor store in the area in addition to the arrests of several police officers — appeared to expose a tobacco and alcohol smuggling ring in Prince George’s County. Police officer Chu Chen pled guilty, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13. Jose Moreno has a plea hearing set for May 19, and Richard Delabrer has a plea hearing set for May 25.
[Ed. note: this story has been updated.]
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