The charges against Jones were made public by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois on Tuesday through an information, a court document that is typically filed in cases where the defendant has indicated they eventually plan to plead guilty. Jones waived his right to be indicted on the charges during the hearing, another indication that he does not plan to go to trial.
Jones, 44, entered his plea during a hearing conducted by telephone because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was represented by attorney Reggie Harris, a partner with St. Louis-based law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. In response to a question from Wood, Durkin said prosecutors planned to turn over a “somewhat voluminous” amount of evidence against Jones to his attorneys.Jones is running unopposed for another term representing the 14th Senate District, which includes Chicago’s Far South Side and south suburbs, on Nov. 8., saying it was not enough that Jones stepped down as a member of the Democratic Party’s leadership in the state Senate and as a committee chair and vice chair.
In August 2019, Jones urged the red-light camera firm executive to sponsor an event for him, so he could give him the money without triggering a requirement that Jones report the contribution to the Illinois State Board of Elections, according to the court document.