Hinds County DA Jody Owens resigns after guilty plea

Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens resigned from office after pleading guilty to a federal conspiracy charge on Monday, June 29, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Jackson, Mississippi. The plea concludes a years-long undercover FBI investigation into a bribery scheme centered on a proposed convention center hotel project in downtown Jackson.

Owens admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. Federal prosecutors alleged that, between October 2023 and May 2024, he accepted at least $115,000 in cash and promises of future financial benefits in exchange for using his influence to advance the hotel development through city government. According to court documents, undercover FBI agents posing as real estate developers captured audio recordings in which Owens discussed how to bribe public officials and launder money through businesses and campaign donations.

In a social media post on Monday, Owens announced his resignation, effective July 1, calling it one of the most difficult decisions he has ever made. He stated that while it hurt to step away from a position he loved, he believed the decision was best for his family and the District Attorney's Office. Owens had...