Arkansas lawmaker pleads guilty to bribe conspiracy involving government funds

Arkansas state Rep. Micah Neal.
Arkansas state Rep. Micah Neal.

State Rep. Micah Neal, R-Springdale, has pleaded guilty in a conspiracy that directed government funds to nonprofits in exchange for around $38,000 in kickback payments.

Neal, 42, entered the plea Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks of the Western District of Arkansas on one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, according to a news release.

As part of the plea agreement, Neal admitted to conspiring with a state senator to use their positions to appropriate funds to two nonprofit organizations between January 2013 and January 2015.

Neal and the senator authorized and directed the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District to award a total of $600,000 in general improvement fund money to the organizations, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Of the $600,000, Neal authorized and directed a total of $175,000 to the nonprofits, filings show.

Neal, who took office in 2013 in the Arkansas House of Representatives, withdrew his bid for the county judge’s race in Washington County last year, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette previously reported.

He did not seek re-election in the House. The next General Assembly session begins Monday.

Sentencing will be determined at a later date, the release states.

Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

ADVERTISEMENT

More headlines

Upcoming Events