United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

MORE DEFENDANTS SENTENCED IN EIGHT-LINER CASES

AMARILLO, Texas — Three defendants who pled guilty to their role in an illegal gambling business were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper, of the Northern District of Texas.

Judge Robinson sentenced Melody Skelton Massey, 59, to four months in prison and remanded her to the custody of the U.S. Marshal. Margaret Ruth Glasscock, 59, was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay a $3000 fine. Massey and Glasscock pled guilty to misprision of a felony. Their co-defendants, Billy Ralph Black, 68, and Curtis Leon Fowler, 73, who had each pled guilty to maintaining an illegal gambling business and aiding and abetting, were sentenced last month. Black was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay a $20,000 fine; Fowler was sentenced to 24 months in prison and ordered to pay a $30,000 fine. Black must surrender to the Bureau of Prisons by November 26, 2007; Fowler reported last month.

In a separate case, Johnny Earl Shannon was sentenced to 10 months in prison and ordered to pay a $30,000 fine. He pled guilty in August to maintaining an illegal gambling business and aiding and abetting. Shannon’s co-defendant Jerry Don Bone also pled guilty in August to the same charge and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Robinson on November 30, 2007.

According to documents filed in Court, from February 2007 and continuing until July 3, 2007, Curtis Leon Fowler, Billy Ralph Black, Melody Skelton Massey, and Margaret Ruth Glasscock, aided and abetted by each other, and others, conducted, financed, managed, supervised, directed and owned all or part of an illegal gambling business that involved maintaining Eight-liner slot machines.

Defendants Fowler and Black were partial owners of illegal gambling businesses at 3510 SE 11th and 337 E. Hastings in Amarillo. Margaret Ruth Glasscock was half owner of the operation at337 E. Hastings. Black, Massey and Glasscock picked up money from the Eight-liner operations at 337 E. Hastings and 3510 SE 11th every day. Black, Fowler, Massey, and Glasscock shared in the proceeds from the two businesses and some of the income from the illegal businesses was stored at Stout Safe Storage, 2300 W. 7th, Amarillo, Texas.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the FBI and the Potter County Attorney’s Office. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christly L. Drake of the Amarillo, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office.

###