Ex-Mayor's Top Aide Sentenced In City Hall Bribery Scheme

ATLANTA - Evelyn Katrina Taylor-Parks has been sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to accept bribe payments while she served as deputy chief of staff to former Mayor Kasim Reed. Federal prosecutors said Parks had various responsibilities, including managing core city operations, coordinating with the mayor and the executive staff to execute the administration’s policies, and facilitating the procurement process.

In her position, Parks signed an annual financial disclosure statement attesting that she was not self-employed or employed by any business or entity other than the city, and that she had not received more than $5,000 in annual income from any source other than the city. Parks executed the Financial Disclosure Statements under penalty of perjury in 2011, 2012, and 2013, stating she was not employed outside the city.

A vendor, who was an executive with a firm in Atlanta during Parks’ tenure, sought work through his businesses with the city of Atlanta, and was ultimately awarded one project to the vendor’s firm worth $99,999.

From late-2011 to mid-2013, Parks met privately with the vendor on multiple occasions. During these meetings, Parks and the vendor discussed various topics, including the vendor’s desire to obtain work with the city, the idea of sole-source contracting, and the process by which the vendor could obtain a sole-source contract with the city. The vendor was actively seeking projects and work with Atlanta, and at times was performing work for the city.

The vendor paid Parks thousands of dollars and paid for various services on Parks’ behalf, while seeking work with the city. Parks knew the vendor wanted her to use her position and power to assist the vendor with the city’s contracting and procurement process, and to assist the vendor in the future when needed.

In exchange for the bribes, Parks organized meetings between the vendor and high-ranking employees within the city and with a member of the city council. She provided the vendor with information and advice regarding the processes and procedures to obtain a sole-source contract with the city of Atlanta, and assisted the vendor in obtaining a city council resolution allowing the city to negotiate a sole-source contract with the vendor worth millions of dollars. She also facilitated and expedited the process for the vendor to receive payment for work the vendor had completed for the city of Atlanta.

In total, Parks admitted to taking bribe payments from the vendor on 7 or 8 occasions, where each bribe was between $1,500 and $2,000. Parks also received from the vendor a Louis Vuitton handbag, a cruise to Mexico, and a trip to Chicago.

Parks plead guilty to a criminal information charging her with one count of conspiratorial bribery. She was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay approximately $15,000 in restitution.

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