An Arkansas lobbyist accused in a murder-for-hire plot was denied bail Thursday by a U.S. magistrate in Springfield, Mo., the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
Milton Russell "Rusty" Cranford, head of the Cranford Coalition lobbying firm in Little Rock, was an executive overseeing Arkansas operations of Preferred Family Healthcare of Springfield, Mo., until last year. A federal grand jury in Springfield indicted Cranford on Feb. 20 on one count of conspiracy and eight counts of accepting bribes in an alleged kickback and bribery scheme.
He pleaded not guilty.
The government requested Cranford be denied bail, telling U.S. Magistrate David P. Rush that Cranford tried to persuade other witnesses to deny the allegations against him.
Cranford tried to set up the killing of one of the witnesses who refused — Philadelphia-based lobbyist Donald "D.A." Jones, the U.S. attorney in Springfield said. No charges in the murder-for-hire investigation have been filed.
Cranford is set for trial May 7 in Springfield.
