Old Hinds Co. Interim sheriff found guilty of taking bribes

HINDS COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT) – After nearly two hours of deliberation, the jury reached a unanimous verdict.

This decision was criminal.

Twelve jurors convicted former Hinds County Interim Sheriff Marshand Crisler of accepting $9,500 in bribe money in exchange for providing ammunition to a convicted felon.

These crimes occurred while Crisler was serving as the county’s top law enforcement officer.

As he got into his car, he didn’t have much to say after learning that Crisler had been found guilty and referred all comments to his attorney, John Colette.

Colette, who represents Crisler, said: “Of course, like everyone else, we are extremely sorry.”

The jury found Crisler guilty of both charges against him in this case.

Accepting a bribe in exchange for a favor and providing ammunition to a known convicted felon.

That convicted felon is Tonarri Moore, who is currently being held in the Madison County Jail on federal conspiracy charges.

Moore was one of the witnesses prosecutors brought to testify during that trial.

While on the stand, Moore testified that he agreed to work with the FBI to get a lighter sentence after investigators found guns and drugs at his home during a raid in September 2021.

Moore said investigators turned to Crisler after examining his phone and seeing where the two men had previously talked about the money transaction.

According to Moore, Crisler agreed to pay $9,500 in exchange for various favors, including the promise of hiring him at the Hinds County Penal Farm and moving his cousin from an unsecured unit to the Medical Ward at the Raymond Detention Center.

Prosecutors also said Crisler gave Moore 14 bullets and offered to expunge his record.

During the trial, prosecutors played audio and video recordings of the two men exchanging money and talking about these favors.

“How he did it shows why he did it,” said Charles Kirkham, one of the U.S. attorneys in the case.

In court, Colette denied claims that Crisler made promises to Moore.

Colette states that Moore never filled out a job application to work at the prison, and that Crisler moved Moore’s cousin to the Medical Ward only because he needed medical attention, not for safety purposes.

Crisler took the stand to testify on the third day of the trial.

He insisted that he did not know Moore was a convicted felon while that investigation was ongoing, and also maintained that the money Moore gave him was definitely a campaign donation.

The money was for Crisler’s 2021 campaign for the sheriff’s race, which he lost in the runoff election.

During closing argument, Colette told the jury to consider whether Crisler was the victim of entrapment.

This is when an agency directs a person to commit a crime that they would not normally commit.

Colette believes that’s exactly what happened in this case.

“This entire fraud was orchestrated by the FBI,” Colette said.

However, Kirkham responded by saying that bribery does not require exact performance of acts.

He explained to the jury that Crisler’s mere acceptance of these favors while serving as interim sheriff showed that he was ready and willing to commit these crimes. “He used his badge as a bargaining chip,” Kirkham said. “Promise of payment, promise of special treatment.”

Now that he is convicted, Crisler faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000.

Although it wasn’t filed in a campaign finance report, Colette continues to emphasize that her client received the money as a campaign donation that came with absolutely no strings attached.

He also said he believed his client was innocent.

“We are very disappointed with the decision,” Colette said. ”Marshand maintains his innocence. “He has never sold his business, but at this point we must respect the jury’s decision and will certainly consider our appeal in the future.”

Crisler will remain free on bail until his sentencing date of February 6.

Click these links to see the full summary of this week’s trial:

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