Mississippi's ex-prison chief gets nearly 20-year sentence

JACKSON, Miss. — The man who rose through the ranks from prison guard to the longest serving corrections commissioner in Mississippi history was sentenced Wednesday to almost 20 years in federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate also fined a gray-haired and shackled Chris Epps, 56, $100,000 for running one of the largest and longest criminal conspiracies in the state's history. The prosecution had recommended 13 years; the sentence was 235 months.

"This is not a simple crime,"  Wingate said. "This is the largest graft operation in the state of Mississippi, definitely the largest I have seen. Mr. Epps betrayed the state of Mississippi."

He had been head of the Mississippi Department of Corrections for 12 years and was known for his expensive suits and Mercedes.

Epps' fall from grace began in November 2014 when a 49-count federal indictment accused him of taking at least $1.4 million in bribes and kickbacks to steer more than $800 million worth of state prison contracts.

Epps pleaded guilty in February 2015 to bribery and filing a false income tax return. He faced a maximum 23 years in prison.

When given an opportunity to make a statement before the sentencing, Epps said he has had plenty of time to reflect.

"It comes back to greed," he said. "I made some stupid mistakes I will regret for the rest of my life."

He asked the state and others to forgive him.

"I hope this won't overshadow the 27 years of good things I have done," Epps said. "I can't say enough how sorry I am."

Epps received kickbacks on $868 million in contracts, Wingate said.

"He was able to have expensive homes and a vacation home. He was able to afford luxury cars and have fat bank accounts," Wingate said.

Epps served under three governors, both Democratic and Republican. Several Mississippi politicians wrote letters asking for leniency for Epps, but Wingate said the letter writers did not understand the scope of Epps' criminal activities.

In his decision not to accept the prosecution's 13-year sentence recommendation, Wingate said to do so would ignore the burglary Epps committed while out on bond..

Epps' bond was revoked in November after Flowood, Miss., police arrested him for allegedly removing lights and a control panel from a $300,000 home he forfeited to the federal government in a bribery case. Epps had been out on bond awaiting sentencing in his corruption case when the crime occurred.

Epps has cooperated with the government since June 2014, and his work led to charges against nine other people, including a former state senator.

Prosecutors and Epps lawer John Colette said Epps' cooperation could lead to charges against six or seven others. Federal prison officials have not yet determined where he will serve his sentence.

Epps previously complained about being kept in solitary confinement for his safety in a Mason, Tenn., corrections facility. He was moved to the Madison County jail near Jackson last week to await sentencing.

Follow Jimmie E. Gates on Twitter: @jgatesnews