A jury found DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis guilty on four of nine counts: One count of attempt to commit theft by extortion and three counts of perjury, all related to his encounters with Power and Energy Services, Inc., an Austell company that serviced generators.
In the five remaining counts, the jury found him not guilty of three counts of attempt to commit theft by extortion, one count of theft by extortion and one count of bribery.
Count 1, criminal attempt to commit theft by extortion: Not guilty. Charged Ellis with extorting Ciber Inc., a vendor in DeKalb, by threatening lobbyist Joanne Wise with the possibility of cutting off the company's contract.
Count 2, criminal attempt to commit theft by extortion: Not guilty. Charged that Ellis told Wise he would report to the company's CEO that she delivered poor customer service if she didn't agree to a campaign contribution.
Count 3, criminal attempt to commit theft by extortion: Not guilty. Charged that in June 2012 Ellis threatened to withhold county business from Power and Energy Services because company officials didn't return his phone calls soliciting campaign contributions.
Count 4, criminal attempt to commit theft by extortion: Guilty. Charged that three months later, in September 2012, Ellis threatened to withhold county business from Power and Energy Services because company officials didn't return his phone calls. Maximum sentence: one to five years.
Count 5, theft by extortion: Not guilty. Charged that Ellis threatened to cancel county contracts with National Property Institute because company officers didn't return his calls seeking campaign contributions.
Count 6, bribery: Not guilty. Charged that Ellis, during a campaign solicitation call, offered to help a vendor, Merrell Brothers, with an ongoing contract negotiation.
Count 7, perjury: Guilty. Charged that Ellis lied to the special grand jury when asked in reference to Power and Energy Services if he ever ordered business withheld from vendors who didn't return phone calls. Maximum sentence: one to 10 years.
Count 8, perjury: Guilty. Charged that Ellis lied to the special grand jury when asked in reference to Power and Energy Services if he ordered a vendor under a split award contract not be given work. Maximum sentence: one to 10 years.
County 9, perjury: Guilty. Charged that Ellis lied to the special grand jury when he said in reference to Power and Energy Services "I don't get involved in who gets work and who doesn't," and "I don't make the call not to give people work." Maximum sentence: one to 10 years.
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