UPDATE: 11 Arrested in Bingo Probe
Alabama Legislators, Staff Member, Lobbyists and Businessmen Charged in 39-Count Indictment
Posted: 8:18 AM Oct 4, 2010
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Department of Justice Press Conference
Federal Indictment Document
Story 46 Comments Font Size: UPDATE 11:30am
The defendants named in the indictment unsealed today were charged with the following crimes:
o Milton E. McGregor, 71, of Montgomery, Ala., was charged with one count of conspiracy, six counts of federal program bribery, and 11 counts of honest services mail and wire fraud;
o Ronald E. Gilley, 45, of Enterprise, Ala., was charged with one count of conspiracy, six counts of federal program bribery, 11 counts of honest services mail and wire fraud, and four counts of money laundering;
o Jarrod D. Massey, 39, of Montgomery, Ala., was charged with one count of conspiracy, five counts of federal program bribery, and 11 counts of honest services mail and wire fraud;
o Thomas E. Coker, 70, of Lowndesboro, Ala., was charged with one count of conspiracy, two counts of federal program bribery, and 11 counts of honest services mail and wire fraud;
o Robert B. Geddie Jr., 60, of Montgomery, Ala., was charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of federal program bribery, 11 counts of honest services mail and wire fraud, and one count of obstruction of justice;
o Jarrell W. Walker Jr., 36, of Lanett, Ala., was charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of federal program bribery, and 11 counts of honest services mail and wire fraud;
o Harri Anne H. Smith, 48, of Slocomb, Ala., was charged with one count of conspiracy, two counts of federal program bribery, one count of extortion, 11 counts of honest services mail and wire fraud, and four counts of money laundering;
o Larry P. Means, 63, of Attalla, Ala., was charged with one count of conspiracy, two counts of federal program bribery, two counts of attempted extortion, and 11 counts of honest services mail and wire fraud;
o James E. Preuitt, 75, of Talladega, Ala., was charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of federal program bribery, one count of attempted extortion, 11 counts of honest services mail and wire fraud, and one count of making a false statement;
o Quinton T. Ross Jr., 41, of Montgomery, Ala., was charged with one count of conspiracy, two counts of federal program bribery, two counts of attempted extortion, and 11 counts of honest services mail and wire fraud; and
o Joseph R. Crosby, 61, of Montgomery, Ala., was charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of federal program bribery, and 11 counts of honest services mail and wire fraud.
UPDATE 9:47
Country Crossing Developer Ronnie Gilley and Victoryland's Milton McGregor have been charged in the bingo probe.
Reports are that both have been arrested.
UPDATE 9:40am
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The owner of Alabama's largest casino and a state senator have been arrested as part of a federal investigation of political corruption.
Sources told The Associated Press that VictoryLand owner Milton
McGregor and state Sen. Harri Anne Smith of Slocomb were picked up
Monday morning. The charges were not immediately available.
The sources are familiar with the investigation's developments and spoke on condition of anonymity because the official announcement is to be made later.
A federal grand jury in Montgomery has been investigating whether political corruption or vote buying was involved in an unsuccessful effort to pass legislation to legalize bingo casinos.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Case is from Alabama, Northern District .
According to unsealed charges, state legislators in Alabama have been charged with conspiracy for taking campaign bribes to promote pro-gambling legislation.
People charged:
Milton McGregor
Ronald Gilley
Thomas Coker
Robert Geddie
Jarrod Massey
Larry Means
James Preuitt
Quinton Ross
Harri Anne Smith
Jarreel Walker Jr
Joseph Crosby