Another Dallas developer is facing federal prison for participating in a public corruption scheme after admitting he bribed two Democrat city council members to promote his low-income housing projects.
Developer Sherman Roberts pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to commit bribery.
Roberts bribed Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway and Council Member Carolyn Davis—both Democrats—with thousands of dollars in cash.
In exchange, Caraway and Davis helped Roberts secure lucrative loans and low-income housing tax credits for his company’s apartment projects.
“That’s where the money is,” Roberts told Caraway, according to a Justice Department statement.
Roberts headed City Wide Community Development Corporation, a real estate company that redevelops run-down multifamily properties as affordable housing.
Two other developers were also charged in the low-income housing bribery schemes, which took place from around 2013 to 2015.
Developer Devin Hall pleaded guilty in August 2020 to bribing Davis.
Ruel Hamilton, a developer and major donor to Democrat candidates, was convicted in 2021 of bribing Caraway and Davis. Hamilton is awaiting retrial on the conspiracy and bribery charges.
The two Dallas council members also admitted guilt in the bribery scandal.
Caraway went to prison after pleading guilty to participating in a separate bribery and money laundering scheme involving the now-defunct Dallas County Schools. He also admitted to taking bribes from Roberts and other Dallas real estate developers.
Davis pleaded guilty to using her influence as chair of the council’s housing committee to advocate for Roberts and other developers in exchange for cash, but she died in a car crash before sentencing.
Roberts, who is 70, faces up to five years in federal prison.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2025.
