Former Arkansas legislator's name surfaces in graft case

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Henry "Hank" Wilkins IV, county judge of Jefferson County, took $100,000 in bribes from indicted lobbyist Milton Russell "Rusty" Cranford while serving in the Arkansas Legislature, an assistant U.S. attorney said Friday in federal court.

The money purportedly was given in the form of donations to the Pine Bluff church where Wilkins is pastor.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Mohlhenrich made the statements during Cranford's arraignment on corruption charges Friday in Missouri. Mohlhenrich asked that Cranford, 56, of Bentonville, be denied bail, alleging that the lobbyist plotted to kill one witness and persuade others, including Wilkins, to lie to investigators.

Wilkins, a longtime state and county elected official and church pastor, has not been charged with any crime, according to available federal court records. He did not respond Friday afternoon to several telephone and email messages from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Read more: http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/mar/17/former-lawmaker-admits-to-accepting-cra-1/