HAMPTON, Va. — Calls continue to grow for a Hampton city councilman to resign after a report leaked about his meet-up with a prostitute in 2022 that had gone wrong.
Now, one of Councilman Chris Bowman's colleagues is calling for him to step down.
In a criminal complaint filed in court, detectives wrote that in 2022 Bowman told them he had met with a woman at a hotel in Newport News and paid her for oral sex. He said that's when he came back to find valuables missing from his car in the parking lot, including his cell phone.
Days later, Bowman said he received calls from a man, saying he had his phone and demanded $5,000 in cash or else he would release the phone's contents to the public.
Police wrote in the complaint that Bowman was concerned about the man releasing the information, so he met him at a location and gave him the $5,000.
The man, according to the court record, then ran off with the cash and Bowman's phone.
Since the report came out about Bowman's prostitution scandal, people in the community — including members of Hampton NAACP — have come forward, criticizing the councilman's behavior.
At a city council meeting on August 9, Vice Mayor Jimmy Gray called for the city council to censure Bowman as a sign of disapproval.
No council members had called on Bowman to resign until now.
Through the Freedom of Information Act, 13News Now also recently obtained a letter Mayor Donnie Tuck penned to Bowman in March 2023. It referenced concerns from multiple women about Bowman, ranging from complaints of inappropriate touching to standing too close and sending unwanted messages.
In a statement Wednesday, Councilman Steve Brown urged Bowman to "take the high road and resign from City Council immediately, so that our City can heal and be restored as well."
Brown also said that "when trust is broken, it is broken – no matter what role or title you have."
13News Now reached out to Bowman about Brown's statement, who replied with "No comment." He referred us to his attorney, who we have not yet heard back from.
Regarding the statement issued by Brown, Mayor Tuck told 13News Now Wednesday, “That’s Councilman Brown’s prerogative.”
It's not clear whether other members of council besides Brown want Bowman to resign. They have not yet responded to our request for comment.
Bowman was first elected in July 2020. His term is set to last until December 31, 2024.
Councilman Brown's full statement is below:
As a member of the Hampton City Council, I have found the last few weeks to be very challenging, as I have been deluged with inquiries about the actions of my colleague, Councilman Chris Bowman. Wherever I am, people are talking about the poor judgment he exhibited in soliciting the services of a prostitute, which everyone knows is illegal in Virginia.
In 2016, I sought this office because I felt I had something to offer my beloved hometown of Hampton. I carefully considered what the qualifications were and pondered whether I wanted the public scrutiny that came along with the office. During that campaign, I myself faced scrutiny over my failure to pay personal property taxes on time prior to running for office. I was then current on taxes and have remained so. I apologized to the citizens and was open and willing to discuss the issue.
As a Pastor, I am fully aware that God gives us a measure of grace and forgiveness when we fall and make wrong choices. I have learned that humans are frail and imperfect, so we will always be subject to making bad decisions or using poor judgement. However, that does not absolve us from the consequences of our actions. If I were to solicit the services of a prostitute and it came to my church leadership’s attention, I would be asked to step down immediately as the congregational leader. I would still be allowed to attend services, but my actions would have disqualified me from a position of leadership. Being an elected official is no different. When trust is broken, it is broken – no matter what role or title you have. My congregation would admonish me to get the help I needed and to hopefully be restored.
My prayer is that Mr. Bowman will seek out help and give his full attention to his personal issues so he may find restoration and healing. I am hereby urging Mr. Bowman to take the high road and resign from City Council immediately, so that our City can heal and be restored as well.
We must move our All-America city forward and tackle the city’s issues. That has proven difficult with Mr. Bowman in office. This Council remains committed to serving the citizens of Hampton. As a member of Council, I will not and cannot allow the poor choices of one member of this body to deprive the Hampton citizens of the excellent leadership they deserve.