Hancock County Circuit Judge Christopher Schmidt sentenced former Mississippi state Sen. Philip Moran and his son, Alan Moran, to prison after their convictions on charges of conspiracy and bribery. Philip Moran was sentenced to 20 years, with 12 years to serve and eight years of post-release supervision. Alan Moran received a 20-year sentence, with 10 years to serve in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Because Alan’s sentence runs consecutively to a prior 12-year child exploitation sentence, he will serve a total of 22 years, prosecutors said.
The Morans were convicted earlier this month by a jury. The case stemmed from a 2024 stalking incident involving Alan Moran, who was on probation after prior convictions for exploitation of a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Prosecutors said Alan offered a 17-year-old employee beer, money, and a cellphone to play with a sex toy in front of him. The teenager refused, contacted his parents, and reported the incident to authorities.
Later, in November 2024, Alan Moran began stalking a 19-year-old Lowe’s employee in Waveland. Court testimony indicated he repeatedly entered the store, made sexual comments, and waited in the parking lot for the victim, asking him to get into his truck. The victim reported the behavior, leading to Alan Moran’s arrest. Prosecutors said Philip Moran became involved after the stalking charges were filed, withdrawing $30,000 from a bank in cash. Witnesses testified that Alan Moran gave the money to co-defendant Jeremy Billings, instructing him to persuade the victim to drop the charges while Philip Moran was present.
Surveillance footage showed Billings and another co-defendant, Ian Schexnayder, waiting in the Lowe’s parking lot on Dec. 13, 2024. Prosecutors said they offered between $10,000 and $20,000 for the victim to drop the charges. The victim refused and reported the incident to police. An investigation by the Waveland Police Department and FBI included phone record analysis, which prosecutors said showed communication among the defendants during key moments of the scheme.
During trial, Philip Moran claimed he was unaware of the money’s purpose until after the bribery attempt failed, instructing Billings to return the cash. Alan Moran argued his actions did not violate Mississippi law. After just over an hour of deliberation, the jury found both Morans guilty on all counts. Sentencings for Billings and Schexnayder are still pending. Judge Schmidt described the case as one of “hubris, arrogance, and corruption,” noting the particularly damaging aspect of Philip Moran’s involvement while serving on the Mississippi State Parole Board.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
