MEMPHIS, TN - Newly released court documents outline what TBI agents were looking for when they raided Millington City Hall and why.
Gambling, bribes and extortion are all part of the investigation.
According to the affidavit filed by officers investigating the case, gambling regularly occurs at a transmission shop called Transmission Doctors. It even happened at city hall.
The court documents say Millington Mayor Richard Hodges owes the owner of the transmission shop $10,000.
A confidential informant told agents that Hodges was going to provide the owner of the shop with $40,000 worth of drainage work, and other improvements to his property, likely at no cost to the business owner.
A confidential informant also said Hodges repeatedly demanded money. When the shop owner didn’t hand it over, Hodges sent code enforcement to his business and shut it down for code violations.
The owner of the transmission shop was also given a police badge and ID. It was later taken away. The informant said Hodges then demanded $1,000 to get the police badge back.
According to the court records, it also says that Millington Police Chief Ray Douglas witnessed the gambling, though never took part in it. He was also aware of Hodges' cash demand to the transmission shop owner, in order to get his badge back.
Court records also say Shelby County Commissioner Terry Roland gambled at the transmission shop. Roland admits he did, but said he hadn’t participated in it for more than a year.
“I was over there myself. I am not going to be hypocritical. I only went three or four times,” said Roland.
Roland told abc24.com he has received more than 20 complaints from constituents about Hodges bad behavior, and passed that information along to authorities.
“If someone comes to me with a complaint and I turn a blind eye, I am just as guilty as they are,” said Roland. “I just wanted to make sure the people of Millington and Shelby County are protected.
Roland is one of several witnesses appearing before a Shelby County Grand Jury in this matter. Because of his involvement, Roland said he can’t make a lot of comments.
“I am a witness and I don’t want to jeopardize that,” he said.
Hodges is not commenting on the situation.
