A Newark city councilman has been charged with participating in a scheme to get bribes and kickbacks from companies seeking construction and development contracts in the city.

A one-count complaint released Tuesday charges Joseph McCallum Jr., 65, with honest services wire fraud.

The U.S. attorney's office also said Tuesday a co-conspirator in the scheme has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return.

McCallum, an Air Force veteran and Newark native who has worked as a substance abuse counselor for the Veterans Administration, has been a city council member since 2014.

AP wire services helped contribute to this report.