Former Monroe City Councilman Pleads Guilty

Former Monroe City Councilman Robert E. "Red" Stevens has pled guilty to accepting cash bribe payments from an FBI cooperating witness in exchange for help with matters pending before the council.  

He entered his plea today in Shrevbeport Federal Court before Judge Donald Walter.  Stevens, who's 61-years-old, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250-thousand.  He's to be sentenced in September.

Stevens was indicted in 2010 and charged with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and the Hobbs Act, which involves extortion by a public official.  In a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, he pled guilty to the RICO violation with the assurance that the Hobbs Act charge would be dismissed after sentencing.