WASHINGTON – Three individuals,
including Alabama businessman Ronald Gilley, lobbyist Jarrod Massey and former
Alabama state representative Terry Spicer were sentenced to prison today in
Montgomery, Ala., for bribery-related offenses, announced Assistant Attorney
General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and FBI
Special Agent in Charge Stephen Richardson.
U.S. District Judge Myron H. Thompson of the
Middle District of Alabama sentenced Gilley to 80 months in prison, Massey to
65 months in prison and Spicer to 57 months in prison. Each defendant also was sentenced to a term
of supervised release following his prison term.
Gilley, 47, of Dothan, Ala., and Massey, 41,
of Troy, Ala., both pleaded guilty to a wide-ranging conspiracy to bribe
multiple members of the Alabama legislature, as well as individual instances of
federal program bribery involving legislators.
According to court documents and previous testimony, Gilley owned a
controlling interest in the Country Crossing real estate, entertainment and
gambling development in Houston County, Ala.
Country Crossing sought to offer electronic bingo gambling machines to the
public. Massey owned a lobbying
business, Mantra Governmental, and Gilley was one of Massey’s largest clients.
During the 2009 and 2010 Alabama legislative
session, Gilley and Massey promoted the passage of pro-gambling legislation
that would have been favorable to operating electronic bingo facilities. Specifically, Gilley and Massey corruptly
gave, offered and agreed to give money and other things of value to Alabama
state legislators with the intent to influence and reward them in connection
with pro-gambling legislation. Gilley
also pleaded guilty to money laundering for attempting to launder $200,000 in
bribe payments to a state senator in order to disguise the illicit purpose of
the money. Gilley and Massey both
assisted in the government’s investigation, and the government recommended that
each receive a reduction in his sentence as a result.
In a separate bribery conspiracy, Spicer, 46,
of Elba, Ala., pleaded guilty to a single count of federal program bribery for
his solicitation and receipt of multiple things of value from Gilley and
Massey, including cash payments ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 per month during
a period of more than four years; an all-expenses-paid ski trip for his family
valued at $10,000; a one-time payment of $9,000; a $20,000 campaign
contribution; and more than $22,500 in free concert tickets. In exchange, Spicer repeatedly offered
official assistance, including by encouraging others to hire Massey as their
lobbyist and by aiding Gilley as specific opportunities arose.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy
Chief M. Kendall Day and Trial Attorneys Emily Rae Woods and Marquest J. Meeks
of the Public Integrity Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal
Division. The case is being investigated
by the FBI’s Montgomery Field Office.
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