A former member of the Pine Bluff City Council who was later convicted of attempted extortion died Thursday.
Jack Foster was 79.
Foster served on the council from 2001 to 2005 and in 2005 was indicted by a federal grand jury for attempted extortion under color of law for attempting to solicit money to support the rezoning of the hotel attached to the Pine Bluff Convention Center and turn it into an assisted living facility.
After multiple appeals failed, he was sentenced to federal prison.
In 2021, Foster was a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat held by Senator John Boozman and during the campaign called his conviction “harmful.”
Funeral arrangements for Foster will be announced later.
