The president of Jackson State University has been arrested alongside a fellow employee as part of a prostitution sting in central Mississippi that involved 15 others.
William Bynum Jr., 57, and Shonda McCarthy were taken into custody this weekend after they responded to ad for prostitution services, listed on the ‘dark web’.
After agreeing on services with an undercover officer, they arrived together to the Fairfield Inn hotel near Interstate 20, where others were arrested for charges including prostitution and promoting prostitution.
‘We do believe that they arrived at the hotel together,’ spokesperson Mark Jones told the New York Post Tuesday.
William Bynum Jr., 57, and Shonda McCarthy were taken into custody this weekend after they responded to ad for prostitution services, listed on the ‘dark web’. After agreeing on services with an undercover officer, they arrived together to the Fairfield Inn hotel near Interstate 20, where others were arrested for charges including prostitution and promoting prostitution
Bynum had been president of Jackson State since 2017 after serving four years as president of Mississippi Valley State University. McCarthy, 46, the director of the Jackson State University art galleries
When asked why they were together, the rep said: ‘It’s pure speculation at this point. I guess that will come out at another time.’
Bynum was arrested late Saturday or early Sunday and charged with procuring services of a prostitute, false statement of identity and simple possession of marijuana.
When asked if Bynum tried to convince police he was someone else, Clinton Police Chief Ford Hayman said in a press conference Monday: ‘Without getting into particulars, yes, he was charged with that – providing a false identity.’
But he wouldn’t elaborate on their connection.
‘They were arrested,’ the police chief said Monday in a news conference. ‘It’s an ongoing investigation. As everybody that was arrested in this operation, an ad was online and they saw that ad, they called and set this up with our undercover officers. So that’s to the extent I can answer that question.’
According to the Clarion Ledger, he has been married for four decades and has six children.
He was released from jail Sunday after posting $3,000 bail. Bynum submitted his resignation Monday and it took effect immediately.
Images show her posing with hip-hop and fashion mogul Russell Simmons at an event for her brand. She appears alongside Russell’s nephew Jamel Simmons in a September 2009 image
An interview with Shonda McCarthy states that she used to live in New York and owned a popular boutique named Lolli by Reincarnation. But she moved back to Jackson to raise her son. Danny Simmons and his son, Jamel Simmons during Rush East New York Celebration Hosted By Russell Simmons at Time Warner Center in New York City
Within hours, the governing board for Mississippi’s eight public universities met and named another Jackson State administrator, Thomas Hudson, as interim president. Hudson has been special assistant to the president and chief diversity officer.
Bynum had been president of the 5,300-student Jackson State since 2017 after serving four years as president of Mississippi Valley State University.
A biography of Bynum on the Jackson State University website said his personal and professional motto is, ‘Look back and thank God. Look forward and trust God. Look around and serve God. Look within and find God.’
Bynum faced protests from some alumni and students when he was first chosen for the Jackson State presidency because he was not among the three initial finalists.
The university was having financial problems after overspending by a previous president. Bynum said the university would face three to five years of austerity.
‘I understand I may not be your choice,’ Bynum told one angry student in 2017. ‘All I say to you is, watch me work.’
McCarthy, 46, the director of the Jackson State University art galleries, was charged with procuring services of a prostitute and possession of marijuana while operating a motor vehicle.
McCarthy went by Shon (or Shonda) McCarthy Simmons in 2015, according to the Jackson Free Press.
An interview with her states that she used to live in New York and owned a popular boutique named Lolli by Reincarnation. The article states celebrities including Lindsay Lohan and Cameron Diaz purchased items she designed and sold.
Images show her posing with hip-hop and fashion mogul Russell Simmons at an event for her brand. She appears alongside Russell’s nephew Jamel Simmons in a September 2009 image.
Four suspects from Memphis are charged with promoting or conspiracy to promote prostitution as police said the suspects could be part of a multi-state prostitution ring. Pictured clockwise from top left; Alexis Miller, Temeela Palmer, Joseph Jones, and Jesus Porrata
Sheena Stanford (left), age 35, of Jackson, Mississippi: Promoting Prostitution. Sierra Case (right), age 23, of Jackson, Mississippi: Prostitution
Rosella Brown (left), age 25, of Canton, Mississippi: Prostitution. Naketa Williams (right), age 37, of Jackson, Mississippi: Prostitution
‘(Jackson), is a goldmine, and we don’t realize it,’ she told the publication at the time. ‘I had to move away from home (in 1999) and live in New York for 12 years to realize how great a place this is.’
The article states she moved back to Jackson to raise her son Cody who was six at the time.
According to the university website McCarthy is a member of the Advisory Board of Hip Hop Hall of Fame (Arts Education), New York, and the JSU Jazz Series Committee.
McCarthy was also released Sunday on $2,000 bail.
She and Bynum are due in court for their arraignment on March 11.
Four suspects from Memphis are charged with promoting or conspiracy to promote prostitution as police said the suspects could be part of a multi-state prostitution ring.
The Clinton Police Department did not identify any patterns or activity to suggest that prostitution or human trafficking is prevalent in Clinton.
The Clinton Police Department encourages anyone who might information pertaining to human trafficking to contact CPD or CRIMESTOPPERS with tips for further investigation.
National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888.
Steve Hampton (left), age 57, of Jackson, Mississippi: Promoting Prostitution, Possession of Crack Cocaine, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Eric Jackson (right), age 34, of Jackson, Mississippi: Promoting Prostitution
Fredrick Robinson (left), age 41, of Jackson, Mississippi: Promoting Prostitution. Anthony Bowman (right), age 48, of Vicksburg, Mississippi: Procuring Services of a Prostitute
17 arrested and charged in Mississippi prostitution sting
Holly Ann Wheaton, age 35, of Springfield, Tennessee: Prostitution
Steve Hampton, age 57, of Jackson, Mississippi: Promoting Prostitution, Possession of Crack Cocaine, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Anthony Bowman, age 48, of Vicksburg, Mississippi: Procuring Services of a Prostitute
William Bynum Jr., age 57, of Jackson, Mississippi: Procuring Services of a Prostitute, False Statement of Identity, and Simple Possession of Marijuana.
Fredrick Robinson, age 41, of Jackson, Mississippi: Promoting Prostitution
Holly Ann Wheaton (left), age 35, of Springfield, Tennessee: Prostitution. Taylor Ducre (right), age 30, of Angie, Louisiana: Prostitution and Possession of Cocaine
Sierra Case, age 23, of Jackson, Mississippi: Prostitution
Sheena Stanford, age 35, of Jackson, Mississippi: Promoting Prostitution
Taylor Ducre, age 30, of Angie, Louisiana: Prostitution and Possession of Cocaine
Eric Jackson, age 34, of Jackson, Mississippi: Promoting Prostitution
Naketa Williams, age 37, of Jackson, Mississippi: Prostitution
Shonda McCarthy, age 46, of Jackson, Mississippi: Procuring Services of a Prostitute and Possession of Marijuana while Operating a Motor Vehicle.
Rosella Brown, age 25, of Canton, Mississippi: Prostitution
Alexis Miller, age 23, of Memphis, Tennessee: Conspiracy to Promote Prostitution
Temeela Palmer, age 31, of Memphis, Tennessee: Prostitution and Conspiracy to Promote Prostitution
Joseph Jones, age 30, of Memphis, Tennessee: Conspiracy to Promote Prostitution
Jesus Porrata, age 31, of Memphis, Tennessee: Promoting Prostitution
Source: Daily Mail
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