CARSON — Carson resident, Michael Kimbrew, 44, was arrested Aug. 2 on federal extortion and bribery charges.
Kimbrew, who worked as a staffer for then-Rep. Janice Hahn, was arrested pursuant to a two-count indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury this past July. He was charged with attempting to extort a Compton marijuana shop and receiving a bribe.
The indictment alleges that Kimbrew approached an employee of the marijuana shop and told him the store was violating a law. It goes on to detail that he offered the business operating permits in exchange for $5,000.
An undercover FBI agent posed as a business partner and met with Kimbrew. He repeated his offer to take a bribe. In a second meeting between Kimbrew and the undercover agent, Kimbrew allegedly accepted the money.
Kimbrew pleaded not guilty and was freed on a $15,000 bail bond. A trial is set for Sept. 6.
If convicted for the counts in the indictment, Kimbrew would face a statutory maximum sentence of 18 years in federal prison.