NEWS RELEASE
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
BETH PHILLIPS
Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106
www.justice.gov/index.html
JUNE 22, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
REPUBLIC MAN INDICTED FOR GAMBLING CONSPIRACY
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Republic, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for his role in a conspiracy to conduct an illegal gambling business.
Donald E. Bishop, 34, of Republic, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Today’s indictment alleges that Bishop was part of a conspiracy to conduct an illegal gambling business between Aug. 1, 2008, and Aug. 28, 2009. According to the indictment, on at least 14 occasions Bishop exchanged poker chips for cash with a confidential informant and an undercover law enforcement officer in furtherance of the operation of the gambling business. Bishop also employed a dealer, who allegedly exchanged poker chips for cash with a confidential informant on at least two occasions.
Phillips cautioned that the charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Republic, Mo., Police Department.
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