A former Richardson mayor and her developer husband will report to federal prison Oct. 24 to begin serving six-year sentences for public corruption, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Department of Justice.
Thursday’s verdict wasn’t the first conviction for Laura Maczka Jordan, who served as Richardson’s mayor from 2013 to 2015, and her husband, developer Mark Jordan.
The pair were convicted of bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, and tax fraud in 2019 but the convictions were thrown out after the judge determined that a court officer spoke with a juror about the case. The case was retried this week at a federal court in Sherman.
During her tenure as mayor, Maczka voted for controversial zoning changes, including the construction of the 1,000-unit Palisades Apartments, requested by JP-KBS Richardson Holdings Inc., where Jordan was a managing partner.
Maczka ran on a platform of no more apartments near Richardson neighborhoods, according to her federal indictment, and despite the pleas of more than 100 residents during a 2014 council meeting, she voted to approve the zoning that would make way for the 79-acre development.
In exchange for the favorable zoning vote, Jordan paid Maczka over $18,000 in cash, an additional $40,000 by check, and paid for more than $24,000 in renovations to Maczka’s home. The developer also paid for luxury hotel stays and airfare upgrades for Maczka and provided Maczka lucrative employment at one of Jordan’s companies, Department of Justice officials said in a press release issued Thursday.
According to court testimony, Maczka and Jordan failed to disclose to the public that they had coordinated to affect the zoning changes Jordan wanted and that Jordan had provided a stream of benefits to Maczka.
Jordan, 55, and Maczka, 57, both of Plano, married after Maczka left the mayor’s office.
Current Richardson Mayor Paul Voelker, City Manager Don Magner, and the city’s communications office did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno said Thursday that the prison sentences are a step toward rebuilding trust for the residents of Richardson.
“Laura Jordan violated her obligation to serve her constituents, and along with Mark Jordan, carried out a conspiracy to commit bribery and tax fraud all while concealing their illicit conduct from the City of Richardson and its taxpayers,” DeSarno said. “Our elected officials are held to the highest standards, and the FBI will continue to ensure that those who disregard their duty to serve the public are held fully accountable.”
