Jefferson County Official is Arrested on Rape Charges

By Monica Hernandez
monica@wlbt.net

A Jefferson County official is arrested on rape charges.

He bonded out, and Monday he presided over a county board meeting.

He was arrested and charged with rape last week, but Trent Hudson still presided over the Jefferson County board of supervisors Monday morning.

He's board president and director of Alcorn State University's Transportation Department. But some members of the community think Hudson should step down from his leadership roles until the investigation is complete.

Concerned resident, Cynthia O'Quinn said, "The allegations may not be true at all, but the thing would be, if it was me, I would get myself vidicated before going to the extreme of conducting business as usual."

Jefferson County Sheriff Peter Walker says Hudson bonded out Friday. Walker says justice court set bond at $5,000. Walker says charges were filed in justice court, but clerks there told us they didn't have an affadavit.

Meanwhile, we tried to talk to Hudson about the charges, but he rushed out of Monday's board meeting with little to say.

When we asked, "What message do you think it sends to the community?"

All we got was his truck door slamming shut.

Officials say the woman who filed the rape charges worked for the county, but was fired July 21st. Officials couldn't confirm why she was fired. But the state auditor's office says the department she worked for has been under investigation since June. It couldn't elaborate on details.

"What he's saying to the community, he's saying he's untouchable," added O'Quinn.

The Mississippi Bureau Of Investigations is looking into the rape charges.