Chickashanews.com

Alleged Illegal Gambling Scandal

March 28, 2007

Sheriff to face trial on felony charge

Grady County Sheriff Kieran McMullen was bound over for trial on one felony and two misdemeanor charges Tuesday.

Special District Judge Ken Harris ruled there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial on a felony charge of conducting illegal gambling. McMullen also faces misdemeanor charges of permitting gambling on premises and willful neglect of duty in connection with an alleged gambling operation at the Chickasha Elks Lodge.

The sheriff no longer faces two gambling charges, which the judge dismissed.

Harris ruled on Tuesday that the prosecution did not present enough evidence to support charges of being a peace officer engaged in illegal gambling and conspiracy to commit crimes and bad acts against Kieran McMullen.

“These suspects keep saying they have done nothing wrong,” District Attorney Bret Burns said. “I’m ready for a jury to hear this case.”

The felony charge and the neglect of duty charge each carry potential removal from office for the sheriff.

McMullen and other law officers, including his wife, Helen, were indicted last year following a raid on the lodge.

District Attorney Bret Burns accused the lodge of operating gaming machines that netted the lodge between $48,000 and $72,000 annually.

In allowing the charge of conducting illegal gambling, Harris ruled that if gambling was ongoing, trustees are responsible. McMullen was a trustee.

Harris said maybe others, too, should be charged with that crime.

In trying to get that charge tossed, the defense argued the machines were in the lodge long before McMullen became a trustee in April 2006. He said no evidence showed the sheriff opened or conducted illegal gambling.

A judge recently dismissed charges of conducting illegal gambling and conspiracy to commit crimes against Helen McMullen and sheriff's deputy Robert Cacy. They still face a charge of a peace officer engaged in illegal gambling.

These cases will likely be heard in August.

“Their tactics have been to delay the case as long as they can,” Burns said. “We are ready to go to trial now.”

Retired Chickasha police Lt. Jerry Tyler pleaded guilty two months ago to felony gambling and misdemeanor willful neglect of duty. He received a one-year deferred sentence on the felony and a one-year suspended sentence on the misdemeanor.

If convicted, the McMullens and Cacy face between one and 10 years in prison.

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Alleged Illegal Gambling Scandal
  • Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose A District Judge has thrown out the cases of two suspects in the Elks Lodge alleged gambling case.

    April 14, 2007

  • Motions filed in Elks gambling case The attorney for Sheriff Kieran McMullen has filed two objections in the ongoing gambling case.

    April 11, 2007

  • Sheriff to face trial on felony charge Grady County Sheriff Kieran McMullen was bound over for trial on one felony and two misdemeanor charges Tuesday.

    March 28, 2007

  • Bound over Grady County Sheriff Kieran McMullen did not get his day in court on Friday, as his attorney, David Autry, was reportedly tied up in court in Oklahoma City. That did not prevent Special District Judge Ken Harris from listening to the rest of the evidence against former Chickasha Officer Helen McMullen and Deputy Robert Cacy, co-defendants in the case involving alleged gambling at the Elks Lodge.

    March 17, 2007

  • Another delay The preliminary hearing for Sheriff Kieran McMullen will now stretch into its third month.

    February 24, 2007

  • One suspect pleads guilty The courtroom circus is over for one of the defendants in the Elks Lodge gambling case, after pleading guilty to a felony charge.

    February 24, 2007

  • Loophole tightens into a noose The same loophole used to protect Attorney Steve Buzin’s client from self-incriminating statements, forced him to testify Friday.

    February 24, 2007

  • Testimony continues in gambling case Grady County Sheriff Kieran McMullen spent the day in District Court Wednesday, the second day of his preliminary hearing.

    February 22, 2007

  • Sheriff’s hearing resumes Wednesday Grady County Sheriff Kieran McMullen back in the courtroom Wednesday.

    February 22, 2007

  • Loophole upheld District Attorney Bret Burns will have to take his battle to a higher court in an attempt to charge a local deputy with gambling.

    February 9, 2007