Mel Reynolds, Former Illinois Representative, Arrested in Atlanta

ATLANTA, GA - Former U.S. representative Mel Reynolds was taken into custody in Atlanta on Monday on an outstanding arrest warrant, federal authorities confirmed to the Chicago Sun-Times and CBS Chicago. Reynolds arrived at Atlanta Airport on a flight from Johannesburg, South Africa.

A federal judge issued the warrant March 31 in a tax case where Reynolds pleaded not guilty to four misdemeanor tax charges accusing him of failing to file tax returns. In an open letter to the judge Reynolds said he was staying with his daughter in South Africa because she is suffering from scoliosis and may also have cervical cancer.

The judge refused Reynolds' request to stay abroad longer, setting the trial date for May 2.

Richard Kling, Reynolds’ attorney, told the Sun-Times he expects Reynolds would appear in a federal courtroom in Atlanta some time Monday.

Reynolds also pleaded guilty to violating Zimbabwe's immigration laws in February 2014. He was reportedly arrested for living in Zimbabwe without a visa and prosecutors found photos and videos of men and women having sex on the ex-congressman's phone. The pornography charges were dismissed against Reynolds because the charges weren't properly obtained, the court ruled.

In the early 1990s, Reynolds represented the 2nd Congressional District, which includes parts of the South Side and southeast suburbs, until he resigned in disgrace after he was caught having sex with a teen-age campaign worker. His seat was taken by Jesse Jackson Jr., who also left office in disgrace in 2012. Reynolds tried to win the seat back in a special election, but only secured 1 percent of the vote.

This report will be updated.

Patch File Photo

Dennis Robaugh contributed to this report