xx
By Staff Report
Published in News on October 21, 2016 11:13 AM
Arnold O. Jones
WILMINGTON - Wayne County Resident Superior Court Judge Arnold O. Jones II was found guilty today on all three counts of a federal indictment levied against him for bribing an officer to get copies of text messages between his wife and another man.
The verdict came after slightly more than 30 minutes of deliberation by the jury.
Jones did not wish to provide comment on the case.
His sentencing hearing is set for Jan. 23 in Wilmington at 10 a.m.
Geoff Hulse, one of Jones' attorneys, said Jones and his team plan to appeal the verdict in a hearing set for November 7 in Wilmington.
Another of Jones' attorneys, Elliott Abrams, argued to the court after the verdict was handed down that Jones was guilty of a lesser crime of illegally accessing text messages, which is what Jones' attorneys plan to argue at the hearing.
Prosecuting attorney William Gilmore rebuffed that notion, saying to the court that the government had proved Jones' guilt on the three charges beyond a reasonable doubt and whether or not he was guilty of a different offense did not matter.
Judge James C. Fox replied that the defense was entitled to make the argument to the court.
The three-count indictment against Jones states that he promised a payment of a bribe to a public official, promised a payment of a gratuity to a public official and attempted to corruptly influence an official proceeding.
Hulse declined to comment on whether or not Jones would continue to seek re-election to his seat this year.
"He's on the ballot," Hulse said.