William J. Edwards, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio today announced that Robert J. White, III, age 47, of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery in violation of the Hobbs Act.

White admitted that in or about late 2007, he accepted a $500 bribe from an unnamed Cleveland businessman, who was cooperating with the FBI, in exchange for the performance of his official duties while serving as Ward 2 Councilman for the City of Cleveland. As part of the plea agreement, White resigned from Cleveland City Council.

The maximum potential penalty for conviction under the Hobbs Act violation is 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any period of incarceration. The court may determine the actual sentence under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant's prior criminal record, if any, his role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. The actual sentence may be less than the statutory maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean M. Valore following an investigation initiated by the Cleveland Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for March 12, 2009 at 12:30 p.m.