Dallas City Council Member Bribed with Over $450K

DALLAS – Dallas City Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges, including one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. His business partner, Robert C. Leonard Jr. of New Orleans, Louisiana, also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.

According to the Plea Agreements and Factual Resumes filed in the cases, Leonard paid and Caraway accepted more than $450,000 in bribe and kickback payments in the form of a phony consulting agreement, luxury suits, fully funded trips, gambling money, repayment of personal debt, checks and cash.

The bribes were paid to secure favorable official actions to further Leonard’s business interests in Dallas. These actions included key votes to promote and continue the school bus stop-arm camera program — which contracted with Leonard’s company, Force Multiplier Solutions — and other actions taken to benefit Force Multiplier Solutions.

Both Defendants admitted to efforts undertaken to disguise and conceal the nature of the bribe and kickback payments. Leonard funneled a significant portion of the illicit payments through various pass-through companies created and operated by his business associate, Slater Washburn Swartwood, Sr., of Louisiana.

The law enforcement operation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox stated, “The pleas today represent the meticulous and tireless efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the dedicated prosecutors of our office. These cases demonstrate our continued resolve to uncover corruption at the highest levels–the citizens of Dallas deserve honest government.”

“Today’s guilty pleas are the results of a sensitive and complex investigation conducted by FBI Dallas’ Public Corruption Investigative Team with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service. The conspirators utilized their position of access and financial means to defraud the citizens of Dallas County,” said Eric K. Jackson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Dallas Division. “The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate any public servant who abuses their official position and access to benefit themselves financially at the taxpayer’s expense.”

Leonard also admitted to paying Rick Sorrells, former Dallas County Schools Superintendent, over $3 million in bribes and kickbacks payments in various forms, including $200,000 toward Sorrells’ credit card and student loan debt through a bank account opened in the name of a nonexistent entity. The case is set for sentencing on June 30, 2023.