Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens pleaded guilty Monday to a federal conspiracy charge, two weeks before he was set to go on trial in a case stemming from an FBI operation aimed at exposing public corruption in Mississippi’s capital city.

Owens will resign as the top prosecutor for Mississippi’s largest county, effective Wednesday. 

“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,” Owens wrote on social media. “I leave knowing 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. U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III set sentencing for Oct. 15. 

Former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and former Jackson City Council Member Aaron Banks are still facing charges in the case. A federal grand jury indicted the three men in 2024, and their trial was set to begin July 13.

Outside the federal courthouse after he pleaded guilty, Owens thanked “the citizens of Hinds County” for their prayers. He also thanked his staff at the district attorney’s office and his family.

“Prayer changes things and regardless of the outcome in any of these things, we need to make sure that we’re loving one another and praying for a positive outcome for this city, because we will rise together, we will fall together,” he said before getting into a car.  

Beginning as early as 2023, two undercover FBI agents posed as real estate developers seeking to build a convention center hotel in downtown Jackson on a plot of land the city had previously obtained a federal loan to develop.

The agents enlisted an unsuspecting Owens to connect them to powerful Jacksonians, including Banks and Lumumba. The indictment alleges Owens made payments on behalf of the developers to the politicians in exchange for their help advancing the proposal.

The lengthy charging document heavily quoted secretly-recorded statements from Owens, in which the district attorney bantered about using his private businesses to “clean the money.” Owens had argued that the government was overemphasizing “drunken, locker room banter” and maintained his innocence for over a year. The indictment contained few statements from Lumumba, who is still set to face trial next month.

State law says the governor will call an election to fill the office of a district attorney who has resigned. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves will make an emergency appointment to fill the vacancy until an election is held. Owens, a Democrat, was first elected district attorney in 2019, and his current four-year term expires in January 2028.

Reeves will need to make the appointment somewhat quickly for practical reasons, as the district attorney signs off on crucial documents for the office, such as approving payroll. 

As Owens left the federal courthouse Monday, he told reporters that Brad McCullouch, the first assistant district attorney, will be interim leader of the office. 

The only bribes that the indictment charges Lumumba with taking are campaign contributions. While on a yacht off the coast of Florida, Lumumba allegedly discussed the payment from the developers, facilitated through Owens, and then placed a call asking a city employee to shorten a bid window for the hotel development, the indictment alleges. 

Prosecutors allege Banks took cash bribes in exchange for a future vote on the development, but the city never selected a winning bid and the vote did not come to fruition. 

Two people have already pleaded guilty in the scheme: Another former City Council member, Angelique Lee, and Owens’ cousin and associate, Sherik “Marve” Smith. 

Inside the federal courthouse Monday, Jordan had just wrapped up sentencing an unrelated defendant when Dave Fulcher, the federal prosecutor leading the case, walked into the courtroom. 

“Mr. Fulcher, are we ready to roll?” Jordan asked. 

Owens, 44, followed a few minutes later, dressed in a navy blue suit like most of the other prosecutors in the room. He left a convicted felon, with Jordan telling Owens to remove firearms and ammunition from his possession. 

The judge asked Owens a series of questions, including if he’d been treated for mental illness. After a long pause, Owens responded that he had sought treatment for depression and anxiety within the last year. 

But when Jordan asked Owens if he had sought treatment for addiction, Owens said no. Owens had recently tried to introduce an expert witness who would testify at trial that he is a diagnosed alcoholic.

As part of the plea agreement, Owens had to agree that the government’s prosecution of him was not frivolous or in bad faith – an argument he had made earlier this year in a fiery motion to dismiss the case. He also had to agree not to seek any further information concerning the government’s investigation of the case. 

The proceedings were also attended by Lumumba’s lead attorney Thomas Bellinder, who said he didn’t have a comment. 

After the proceedings ended, Owens sat and whispered with his attorney, Gary Bufkin, for several minutes. Asked if he would address reporters downstairs, Owens said he would do “what’s in my heart when I go outside.” 

Mississippi Today reporters Anna Wolfe and Katherine Lin contributed to this report.

Update, 6/29/2026: This article has been updated with additional details from Monday’s court hearing and with Owens’ comments outside the courthouse.