Editor's note: An earlier version of this article stated that News 3 obtained court documents which said Councilman Bowman told detectives that he met a woman in a hotel in Newport News and paid her $200 for oral sex in March 2022. However, the documents stated the incident took place in January 2022. Bowman was extorted in March 2022, and he reported the incident to Hampton PD in April 2022.
HAMPTON, Va - Hampton City Council took action against one of its members who is accused of having an encounter with a prostitute.
At Wednesday's meeting, city council voted to censure and formally disapprove of Chris Bowman’s actions.
"Councilman Chris Bowman has engaged in conduct unbecoming of a public official. The actions of Bowman have violated moral ethical standards expected of council members," Vice Mayor Jimmy Gray said in the meeting. "This censure motions as a form of disapproval and dissatisfaction of the conduct displayed by Councilman Bowman."
News 3 obtained court documents which said Councilman Bowman told detectives that he met a woman in a hotel in Newport News and paid her $200 for oral sex in January 2022.
Afterward, court documents show Bowman came back to the parking lot to find his cell phone and other items missing from his car. That’s when Bowman reportedly told investigators he received a message from a man who said he had his cell phone.
Police identified the man as Michael Brown II, who demanded a payment of $5,000 or he would release content from Bowman’s phone.
News 3's Leondra Head spoke to Bowman’s attorney, Carter Phillips.
"It was a one-time incident and nothing like this has happened since," Phillips said.
"Once he paid the $5,000, did he get his phone back?" Head asked Phillips.
" No. No. He met up with the guy and gave him $5,000 and the guy ran off with the phone and the $5,000. He never got his phone back. At some point he did, but it wasn’t that night," Phillips said.
Hampton police charged Brown with a felony for threatening a person.
Bowman’s attorney says all this will not impact his job on the city council.
"He wants to continue doing good work for the citizens of the community," Phillips said.
Councilman Bowman is not facing any charges. Newport News police say the investigation did not yield the proper evidence.
