Former Mississippi sheriff candidate indicted for soliciting bribes, giving ammunition to felon while running for office

Published 11:39 am Thursday, April 27, 2023

A Mississippi man has been soliciting bribes and providing ammunition to a convicted felon while reportedly running for Hinds County Sheriff in 2021.

A federal grand jury in Jackson returned an indictment charging Marshand Crisler with soliciting bribes and with providing ammunition to a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to court documents, Crisler, 54, of Jackson, is charged with having solicited and accepted thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for agreeing to pass information concerning criminal investigations to the person who paid the bribes.  Crisler also allegedly agreed to protect a jailed family member of that person and agreed to award employment with the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office to that person.

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These actions are alleged to have taken place during Crisler’s previous unsuccessful campaign for Hinds County Sheriff in 2021.  The indictment also alleges that Crisler gave ammunition to a person he knew to be a convicted felon.  It is against federal law for a public official to solicit or accept bribes.  It is also against federal law to provide firearm ammunition to a known convicted felon.

Crisler will make his initial court appearance today at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge LaKeysha Greer Isaac in U.S. District Court in Jackson.

If convicted, Crisler faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison as to each of the two counts in the indictment.

The FBI is investigating the case.