Thursday, October 07, 2010
Former Delegate Pleads Guilty
WEST VIRGINIA....
Former Logan County House of Delegates member Joe C. Ferrell pled guilty Thursday to one count each of racketeering and tax fraud charges. Ferrell was first indicted along with his business, Southern Amusement Inc., on dozens of counts last year. The most serious charges allege he used the company to run an interstate gambling operation. Ferrell admitted he paid employees under the table and used his video lottery leasing company to run illegal gambling across state lines. Ferrell said his video poker machines paid out illegally in Kentucky, and he admitted to bribing a West Virginia Lottery investigator as part of that racketeering charge. Ferrell also pleaded guilty to failing to pay $38,000 in employee-related federal taxes owed in 2003. He's already paid $600,000 as part of his plea deal, and must divest from Southern Amusement. He will be sentenced January 5th.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:33 AM 
