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DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ― In a sweeping victory for the federal government Monday, a jury convicted former Dallas Mayor Pro-Tem Don Hill on seven of the nine corruption charges against him.

Jurors agreed with the government's contention that Hill was at the center of a bribery and extortion scheme involving low-income housing developments in Dallas.

The jury also convicted Hill's wife Sheila Farrington-Hill, former Dallas Plan Commissioner D'Angelo Lee, former Black State Employees Association president Darren Reagan and car dealer Rickey Robertson on various counts.

As they emerged from federal court after the verdicts, Don and Sheila Hill were stunned they had been convicted.  "In my heart, we didn't have a corrupt intent. That's why you're not going to see tears, or anger, or bitterness from us," said Don Hill. 

Sheila Hill restated their claims of innocence.  "My husband and I are innocent. We are not guilty with what we're being charged of, and to have a guilty verdict that's not justice being served."

After the verdict was revealed, none of the jurors wanted to be interviewed on camera, but some released prepared statements.  Rachel Secore said, "I and my fellow jurors carefully considered all the evidence presented, and I believe that the verdict we delivered is fully supported by that evidence. I believe that justice has been served, and I am honored to have performed my civic duty."

A written statement by juror Marcia Mainord said, in part, "I feel our jury was competent and conscientious and did our due diligence in our deliberation. It is also my opinion that justice has been served."

After learning of the verdict Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert released a statement that said, in part, "A difficult chapter in our city's history has closed."  The mayor also commented about reform proposals in place to address some of the issues raised during the trial.

  Click here to read Tom Leppert's entire statement.  

Prosecutors painted the scheme as a "pay-to-play" setup in order to win approval to build lucrative low-income housing developments across Dallas.

The trial began in June.  The government's case was strengthened considerably when developer Brian Potashnik, who was also charged, pleaded guilty the day before jury selection began.  He testified for the government and helped lay out its case against Hill and the others.

"We feel he [Potashnik] pled guilty to something he's not guilty of," Sheila Hill said of Potashnik's plea deal.

The full indictment contains 20 criminal counts against a total of 14 defendants.  Only five of the 14 defendants were accused in this trial.

The verdicts rendered Monday are as follows (those counts not listed here did not apply to the defendants in this trial):

Count 10: Conspiracy to commit bribery
Hill:  guilty
Lee:  guilty
Farrington-Hill:  guilty
Robertson:  not guilty

Count 11: Bribery
Hill: guilty
Lee: guilty

Count 11: Aiding and abetting in bribery
Farrington-Hill: not guilty

Count 12: Bribery
Hill: guilty
Lee: guilty

Count 12: Aiding and abetting in bribery
Farrington-Hill: guilty

Count 15: Conspiracy to commit extortion
Hill: guilty
Reagan: guilty
Robertson: guilty
Lee: guilty

Count 16: Extortion by public officials
Hill: guilty
Lee: guilty

Count 16: Aiding and abetting in extortion by public officials
Farrington-Hill:guilty
Reagan:guilty

Count 17: Extortion by public officials
Hill: not guilty

Count 17: Aiding and abetting in extortion by public officials
Reagan: not guilty

Count 18: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Hill: guilty
Lee: guilty
Farrington-Hill: guilty

Count 19: Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Hill: guilty
Lee: guilty
Farrington-Hill: guilty
Robertson: guilty

Count 20: Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Hill: not guilty
Reagan: not guilty


Jurors convicted Don Hill on seven of the nine counts against him.  They convicted his wife Sheila Farrington-Hill on five of six counts.  Jurors found D'Angelo Lee guilty on all seven counts against him.  Darren Reagan was convicted on two of the four charges against him, and Rickey Robertson was convicted on two of the three charges he faced.

In addition to Brian Potashnik and his wife, four other defendants pleaded guilty early on in the case.  They are: former Black State Employees Association vice president Allen McGill, consultant Andrea Spencer, attorney John Lewis, and former NFL player Kevin Dean.

Trial dates for three other defendants have not yet been set.  They are: current State Representative Terri Hodge, who faces 14 counts including bribery, conspiracy, and making false statements on her tax returns; real estate developer Ron Slovacek, charged with bribery, extortion and conspiracy to commit money laundering; and Jibreel Rashad, who faces one count of conspiracy to commit extortion.

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