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Democratic Mayor Arrested on Bribery Charges

Also subject of a sexual harassment lawsuit

Paul Winfield / AP
February 22, 2013

Vicksburg Mayor Paul Winfield was arrested Wednesday on federal bribery charges for seeking $10,000 for a city contract, according to the Associated Press.

Winfield, who is serving his first term as mayor, met with a confidential source to discuss "pre-event disaster contracts." He told the source he would need $10,000 to secure the contracts for the city.

Winfield agreed to take half the money up front and the rest after the contract was awarded, according to the complaint. The complaint says the source paid Winfield $5,000 in hundred dollar bills that had been provided by the FBI.

In August, Winfield called the informant and said he owed $4,300 in taxes and was "in a bind," the complaint said. They later met in the parking lot of a McDonald's in Natchez, where the source gave Winfield another $2,000 and promised to give him the remaining $3,000 when the contract was awarded, according to the complaint.

Winfield is also caught up in a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by a former employee.

The employee says she was involved with the mayor in a sexual relationship, which ended when he became "physically abusive."

She said the mayor continued to make unwanted sexual advances and offered to pay her overtime that she had not earned. The lawsuit alleges Winfield retaliated when he was rejected by eliminating her position as chief of staff.

Published under: Crime Blotter