Biloxi councilman embroiled in federal drug trafficking scandal won’t resign after arrest
Biloxi Councilman Robert L. Deming III plans to continue serving his constituents in Ward 4 and his clients at his law firm in the aftermath of his indictments in a federal drug conspiracy case, his attorney told the Sun Herald.
The Sun Herald reached out to W. F. “Dub” Hornsby to find out if Deming wanted to talk about the federal charges pending against him and his future plans.
“At this time, he is taking the advice of his counsel to not speak with anyone related to this matter,” Hornsby said.
Deming, currently in his third term as Ward 4 city councilman, is serving as the council vice-president.
Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich issued a statement in the aftermath of the councilman’s arrest. The mayor stopped short of asking Deming to resign.
“I acknowledge Council member Deming III for his past service to our city and encourage him to examine his ability to move forward effectively as the Ward 4 council representative on the city council,” he said.
The issue will come up during the next council meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Biloxi City Hall.
Deming has been an outlier on the council, declining to wear a mask to council meetings during the coronavirus pandemic and often voting against the majority of council. He has voted pro-business and rejected any attempts at eminent domain.
Deming is out of jail on bond with electronic monitoring following his indictment on federal charges of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in a federal investigation.
Federal agents searched Deming’s stores, called The Candy Shop, LLC, in Mississippi and North Carolina on Jan. 26, seizing $1.8 million in cash from Deming’s home along with thousands in cash at the stores.
Prior to his arrest, federal authorities filed paperwork to seize the cash found at Deming’s home along with the money in his bank and cryptocurreny accounts.
Deming was released on bond Monday.
He has a curfew that requires him to be at home from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily along with other orders of the court.
