Michelle Spence-Jones in More Trouble

Suspended Miami city commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones is facing more criminal charges. A Miami-Dade grand jury indicted Spence-Jones on one count of bribery. She is accused of soliciting money from MDM Hotel Group, Inc., the developers of the Metropolitan Miami office and residential complex, and the Codina Group Inc., for her...

By Francisco Alvarado

March 3, 2010

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Suspended Miami city commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones is facing more criminal charges. A Miami-Dade grand jury indicted Spence-Jones on one count of bribery.

She is accused of soliciting money from MDM Hotel Group, Inc., the developers of the Metropolitan Miami office and residential complex, and the Codina Group Inc., for her vote to extend the name of Brickell Avenue further north along SE Second Avenue.

According to a press release from Miami-Dade State Attorney Katharine Fernandez-Rundle, after a contentious March 23, 2006 city commission meeting wherein the name extension was deferred to the next commission meeting for a final vote, Spence-Jones demanded $25,000 and "ultimately deposited those funds into an account accessible to Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones."

The grand jury also formally charged Spence-Jones with grand theft, for which she had been previously charged via information on November 13, 2009.

Read the full indictment here:

SpenceJones.pdf

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Francisco Alvarado was born in Nicaragua and grew up in Miami, giving him unique insight into the Magic City and all its dark corners. An investigative reporter with a knack for uncovering corruption, Alvarado made his bones as a staff writer at Miami New Times and remains in dogged pursuit of the next juicy story.

Contact: Francisco Alvarado

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Twitter: @thefrankness