Ex-NC judge pleads guilty to bribery
Weeks after having his corruption conviction overturned, a former Superior Court judge pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal bribery charge.
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Arnold O. Jones II pleaded guilty to promising and paying gratuities to a public official and will face up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced.
Federal prosecutors say Jones asked a Wayne County deputy in 2015 to obtain text messages from his wife, who the judge believed was having an affair. The pair met in Goldsboro to exchange $100 for a disk supposedly containing the texts. Jones initially offered to give the officer "a couple cases of beer" for his help but later agreed to $100 in cash, authorities said.
A jury found Jones guilty in October of paying bribes, paying gratuities and attempted corrupt influence of an official proceeding, but a judge threw out the verdict last month.
Jones lost his re-election bid in November after eight years as a Superior Court judge.
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