GUILTY. Jury rules against Philip and Alan Moran in bribery and conspiracy trial
Former Mississippi state Sen. Philip Moran and his son, former Diamondhead councilman and convicted sex offender Alan Moran were each found guilty Friday on both counts of bribery and conspiracy in Hancock County Circuit Court.
The jury reached the verdicts in the case a little over an hour after deliberations began Friday evening.
“Public confidence in the judicial system depends on the belief that the law applies equally to everyone,” District Attorney Crosby Parker said. “Efforts to bribe victims in order to avoid accountability undermine that confidence and threaten the integrity of the justice process.
“We commend the Waveland Police Department and the FBI for their outstanding work in investigating this matter and protecting the integrity of our system of justice.”
Circuit Judge Christopher Schmidt deferred sentencing until Thursday in Hancock County.
The Morans face sentences of up to 15 years on the bribery offense and up to five years on the conspiracy charge.
After the verdicts came down, Alan Moran held his head down. As deputies went to lead Philip Moran out of the courtroom, he turned and blew a kiss to a loved one.
Philip Moran testified Friday in the trial against him and his son, denying any involvement in an alleged scheme to pay a stalking victim to drop misdemeanor charges against his son. Alan Moran declined to testify in his own defense.
After the testimony, closing arguments got underway and the case ended in guilty verdicts not long after.
A Hancock County grand jury indicted the Morans on charges of bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery stemming from allegations they attempted to pay stalking victim Slade Miller to drop the misdemeanor charge against Alan Moran. Miller rejected the offer and reported it to authorities.
Assistant District Attorneys Chris Daniel and Matthew Burrell prosecuted the case before Judge Christopher Schmidt.
Prosecutors said the Morans, along with co-defendants Jeremy Billings and Ian Schexnayder, devised a plan to bribe Miller. Billings and Schexnayder pleaded guilty to bribery and testified against the Morans during the trial.
Throughout his testimony, Philip Moran sought to distance himself from the alleged scheme, which prosecutors contend occurred between Nov. 5 and Dec. 13, 2024.
Prosecutors argued the Morans used “their money, their power, their privilege as influential members of this community” in an attempt to interfere with criminal proceedings against Alan Moran.
Alan Moran was later convicted of misdemeanor stalking. His conviction and subsequent indictment in the bribery case led to the revocation of his probation on a felony child exploitation conviction, resulting in a 12-year prison sentence.
The bribery investigation began in December 2024 after Miller reported to Waveland police that two men on motorcycles approached him in the Lowe’s parking lot and offered him $20,000 to drop the stalking charge. Miller refused and contacted authorities.
According to prosecutors, the scheme began when Alan Moran summoned Billings to the family’s business in Kiln and asked him to offer Miller $20,000 in exchange for dropping the charge. Prosecutors allege Philip Moran was present and overheard the conversation.
Philip Moran denied hearing any discussion about bribing Miller. He acknowledged learning later that his son had given Billings money to speak with Miller but maintained the payment was not intended as a bribe.
Earlier in the trial, Billings testified that Alan Moran appeared “afraid and upset” when he asked him to approach Miller. Billings said Alan Moran provided him with a mugshot of Miller so he could identify him. Billings testified he was promised help paying off a truck in exchange for carrying out the plan, while Schexnayder testified he was promised $10,000 for his role. Neither man was paid.
This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 7:39 PM.
