Former Espy Aide Indicted

Ron Blackley, former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy’s chief of staff, was indicted Tuesday on charges he lied about receiving $22,000 from private businesses while a government employee.

A federal grand jury here returned a three-count indictment charging Blackley with failing to disclose the payment, falsifying details about the money and denying he had received any income other than his government salary.

If convicted, he could be sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 on each count.

Blackley’s attorney, Hiram Eastland, said there is no criminal basis to the indictment and expressed his client’s innocence. “We’ll clear his good name,” Eastland said.

“The independent prosecutor is wearing his bow tie too tight and his legal positions are not very tight,” Eastland said, referring to independent counsel Donald C. Smaltz. “There appears to be a mandate to prosecute, or persecute. Mike Espy and this department worked their hearts out for the farmers of this country, and it’s a shame to see it come to this.”

Espy resigned in December 1994 because of questions about his conduct, including accepting favors from food industry companies.

Espy has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing.

A few months earlier, Blackley had been relieved as chief of staff and quietly left the department.