State Rep. Derrick Smith was formally indicted on a federal bribery count Tuesday after allegedly accepting a $7,000 bribe from undercover officers.
Smith was first charged in March a week before the primary election when he allegedly accepted $7,000 in cash from a trusted campaign worker. He believed the money was a payoff from a day care operator who wanted him to write an official letter supporting a bid for a $50,000 state grant.
The campaign worker, however, happened to be working undercover with the FBI and the story about the day care operator was a ruse.
Smith easily won re-election, and following Tuesday's action his attorney said Smith will not resign and will not plead guilty to the charges.
The indictment asks Smith to give back $4,500 in unrecovered proceeds of the alleged bribe payment. He could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty.
Although Smith won the Democratic primary last month with 77 percent of the vote, others are advising him to step down from his position.
An investigation of the charges against Smith are underway by a legislative committee.
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