Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens pleads guilty to conspiracy charge

Jody Owens, the district attorney for Hinds County, Mississippi, pleaded guilty Monday to a federal conspiracy charge, according to court records. His plea comes two weeks before he was scheduled to go to trial in a case linked to an FBI operation targeting public corruption in Jackson.

Owens announced his resignation as the county’s top prosecutor, effective Wednesday. In a social media post, he said, “While it hurts beyond measure to step away from a position I love, I believe this decision is what is best for me, my family, and the District Attorney’s Office.” He expressed confidence in his staff, saying the office is “filled with talented, dedicated public servants who will continue the important work of protecting our community.”

Owens faces up to five years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for Oct. 15, according to U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III. The case also involves former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and former Jackson City Council Member Aaron Banks, who still face charges. The indictment was filed in 2024, with a trial set for July 13.

Prosecutors allege that beginning in 2023, FBI agents posed as real estate developers seeking to build a hotel in downtown Jackson. Owens is accused of connecting the agents to influential Jackson officials, including Lumumba and Banks. The indictment claims Owens made payments to these politicians in exchange for their assistance on the project.

During court proceedings, Owens acknowledged seeking treatment for depression and anxiety but denied treatment for addiction. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted that the government’s case was not frivolous and agreed not to seek further information about the investigation. Owens’s resignation leaves a vacancy that Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves will fill through an emergency appointment until a special election can be held, per state law.

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