Photos: The Mitzi Bickers case

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Photos: The Mitzi Bickers case

Former Atlanta city official Mitzi Bickers was sentenced after her March conviction on nine counts in the City Hall bribery investigation. Here is a timeline of important dates in the case against Bickers.

Former Atlanta city official Mitzi Bickers was sentenced to 14 years in prison after her March conviction on nine counts in the City Hall bribery investigation. Here is a timeline of important dates in the case against Bickers.

2010-2013 – Serves as director of human services for city of Atlanta. Bickers is shown here at the Atlanta Board of Education meeting in 1999. LEVETTE BAGWELL /AJC

Oct. 16, 2016: Hired as a corrections officer with the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office.

Jan. 17, 2017: Well-known Atlanta construction company CEO Elvin R. "E.R." Mitchell Jr. was charged with conspiring to pay more than $1 million in bribes to unnamed individuals to help win city contracts.

Jan. 25, 2017: In the days after Mitchell was charged, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Channel 2 Action News learned of an apparent attempt to intimidate Mitchell. In September 2015, after Mitchell started talking to the feds, someone threw a brick through his living room window with an ominous message. Dead rats also were left on Mitchell’s property. (HANDOUT)

The AJC and Channel 2 later learned Shandarrick Barnes, a former city of Atlanta employee, was arrested in November 2016 in connection with the incident. Barnes had connections to both Mitchell and Mitzi Bickers, a campaign consultant who helped Kasim Reed win the mayor’s race in 2009. Bickers would later serve as the city’s director of human services from 2010 to 2013. Barnes later pleaded guilty to federal charges of interfering with a federal witness. Sketch by artist Richard Miller

Jan. 26, 2017: Then-Mayor Kasim Reed distances himself from Bickers after she is connected to Atlanta City Hall bribery allegations. Bickers worked as a consultant on Reed’s first run for mayor. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Feb. 19, 2017: Subpoena of Bickers unveiled in city release of 1.4 million pages of public documents related to bribery probe.

Feb. 23, 2017: A whistleblower from Mississippi tells the AJC and Channel 2 about being interviewed by federal investigators on the activities of Bickers related to a waterworks contract. Bickers also was part of a group that won a $75 million contract for a hotel in downtown Jackson. J. SCOTT TRUBEY/STRUBEY@AJC.COM

July 13, 2017: The AJC discovers records showing Bickers was paid $1.6 million by companies controlled by Mitchell. The payments correspond to the three years federal authorities were investigating in the City Hall bribery investigation. Source: U.S. Attorneys Office HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

April 5, 2018: Bickers pleads not guilty to 11-count indictment on charges she took $2 million in bribes to steer city contracts to at least two contractors. A 12th count was added in October of that year, accusing Bickers of paying for parties, hotels and other services for the mayor of Jackson at the time and other officials in the Mississippi city. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

June 19, 2019: Bickers becomes Clayton County Sheriff’s Office chief of staff. FILE PHOTO.

March 10: Opening arguments begin in federal trial against Bickers. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)

March 23: Jury finds Bickers guilty on nine of 12 counts, including conspiracy to commit bribery, money laundering and wire fraud. She resigns from Clayton Sheriff’s Office that day. (Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Sept. 8: Bickers to appear before U.S. District Court Judge Steve C. Jones for sentencing.

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Former Atlanta city official Mitzi Bickers was sentenced to 14 years in prison after her March conviction on nine counts in the City Hall bribery investigation. Here is a timeline of important dates in the case against Bickers.

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