Suspended DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis was found guilty Wednesday of four of the nine counts leveled against him, which are comprised of one extortion and three perjury charges.
The extortion charge relates to Ellis’ interactions with a power company which the DeKalb CEO hit up for campaign donations. When owner Brandon Cummings refused, the county terminated the company’s $250,000 contract with the county.
The three perjury charges are for Ellis’ statements under oath as a result of the extortion incident. He repeatedly denied to the special grand jury any wrongdoing, but multiple recorded phone calls proved he was lying and thus committing perjury.
In 2013 a jury was unable to come to an agreement regarding any of the charges leveled against Ellis. That trial was thrown out, which led to the current crop of jurors who found the suspended CEO guilty on four counts.
Ellis was taken into custody following the jury’s guilty verdict, where he will remain until his sentencing next Wednesday.
