LITTLE ROCK — A North Little Rock alderman who pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy to commit wire fraud said a former colleague on trial in U.S. District Court had knowledge that his co-defendant was a felon before a purported firearms transaction.
Cary Gaines, who resigned his position last year shortly before being indicted in federal court, testified Monday in the trial against alderman Sam Baggett and Cabot bookmaker George Thompson. Gaines was to be tried with Thompson, but he reached a plea deal shortly before the current proceeding began.
Gaines said during direct questioning that he and Baggett spoke about Thompson's criminal history on multiple occasions. Baggett is accused of helping Thompson, a convicted felon, obtain firearms and ammunition. Baggett's defense attorneys have said he was unaware of Thompson's felony, which makes such transactions illegal.
Gaines said there was one occasion around 2000 when he, Thompson and Baggett were all at Baggett's North Little Rock barber shop and Thompson spoke of his time in prison. Gaines said Thompson told them a story about another inmate prison who wore a suit every day despite being incarcerated.
"That's always stuck in my mind," Gaines said.
Defense attorneys later challenged the story, asking Gaines if could definitively say Baggett heard or if Baggett might have been attending to customers or doing something else while Thompson spoke.
Gaines said he and Baggett had another discussion several years later about writing letters on behalf of Thompson for a case in which he was criminally charged. The letter Baggett wrote was previously introduced as evidence, though his attorneys said then that Baggett thought the letter was for a civil forfeiture case.
Gaines also said he talked with Baggett in October 2008 about whether he should list a campaign contribution from Thompson on his paperwork in light of Thompson's felony. Prosecutors introduced the finance statement showing Baggett did list the money with Thompson's name attached to it.
Defense attorneys for Baggett and Thompson repeatedly asked Gaines about his deal with the government and suggested he agreed to cooperate only because it made him potentially eligible for a lesser sentnece. Gaines said it's possible with the government's reccomendation that he will receive only probation for his guilty plea, but there was no guarantee offered.
Gaines, who called Thompson and Baggett friends, admitted still owing Thompson $13,000 in gambling debts and personal loans. He also said he lied under oath about some finances during a divorce proceeding and again acknowledged the crime for which he pleaded guilty last week.
"We were trying to rig a bid in North Little Rock to pay off some of my gambling debts," he said. "That's what I was trying to do."
Gaines spoke quickly and twice had to be asked to slow down so the court reporter could keep up.
"I'm sorry I'm so nervous," he said. "I know I'm driving you crazy, but I'm so nervous."