A stunning development in the federal case against Jackson Mayor Frank Melton and his two former bodyguards. Former Jackson Police Officer Marcus Wright changed his plea Tuesday afternoon.
Wright has pleaded guilty to conspiring with the mayor to tear down a home in 2006 that Melton called a crack house. Wright entered the plea before Federal Magistrate Linda Anderson in U.S. District Court in downtown Jackson with his attorney John Colette.
Wright, who was also a police bodyguard for the mayor, has resigned from the Jackson police department and as part of his plea agreement with the government, will never work in law enforcement again and will cooperate with federal prosecutors in the case against Melton.
Wright will be sentenced December 29th. He faces a maximum penalty of up to one year in prison and a 100-thousand-dollar fine.
On Monday, Recio’s attorney, Cynthia Stewart, filed a motion to have Recio’s trial separate from Mayor Melton’s.
Federal prosecutors say Wright and Recio knew it was against the law when Melton ordered and participated in damaging the home but did nothing to stop it.
We contacted mayor Frank Melton for response. He told WLBT: ” I care deeply for Wright, and he’s doing what he has to do. I want everybody to tell the truth about the house. If I’m the last man standing, I’m ok with that, just simply tell the truth and I will tell the truth.”
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