One more suspect arraigned in Kimberly gambling, bribery case

Published 3:50 pm Thursday, May 17, 2012

One more person was arraigned and three arraignments were postponed in the Kimberly illegal gambling and bribery case.

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Robert Taylor Jr. appeared before a judge today in U.S. District Court in Birmingham for arraignment after being arrested on three criminal charges and a forfeiture charge. He had initially appeared in court on May 7 and released on a $10,000 bond. One of the conditions of his bond was to appear in court for arraignment.

Three others who were originally on today’s arraignment docket in connection with the case — John L. Taylor, Carl Scoggins and Christoper Adam McGraw — were moved to the docket for May 24, according to a court official.

John Taylor, Scoggins and McGraw have entered plea agreements with the Department of Justice. They have all admitted to one count each of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery. The count relates to bribes offered and paid to Kimberly Mayor Craig Harris, who was working on behalf of federal investigators and secretly recording the bribe offers and payments.

A fourth person, Daniel “Boone” Stone, has also plea-bargained with prosecutors in connection to the case.

A document that is part of McGraw’s plea bargain states that the five co-conspirators were part of an illegal gambling operation in Kimberly and surrounding areas.

— Robert Carter contributed to this report.