Ex-Alabama Rep. Spicer to plead guilty to bribery

MONTGOMERY, Al.
Former state Rep. Terry Spicer of Elba has worked out a deal to plead guilty in the federal government's investigation of gambling corruption at the Alabama Statehouse, becoming the fourth person to do so.

Terry Spicer

Documents filed in federal court in Montgomery show Spicer has been charged with bribery as part of a plea agreement and is scheduled to enter his plea Nov. 15 in Montgomery. "The defendant, Terry Spicer, has indicated to the court that he wishes to enter a consent plea," U.S. Magistrate Judge Wallace Capel Jr. wrote in 1 of the documents.
Documents filed by federal prosecutors say Spicer agreed to accept cash, campaign services and a ski vacation from lobbyist Jarrod Massey in return for using his influence to get companies and organizations to hire Massey as their lobbyist. The documents also say Spicer agreed to accept campaign contributions and concert tickets from Country Crossing casino owner Ronnie Gilley in return for supporting Gilley's efforts to develop the casino in Dothan.
Spicer, a Democrat, lost his re-election campaign in 2010. He also served as Elba's school superintendent while serving in the Legislature and has continued in the post since leaving the Legislature. He declined to comment, as did his attorney, David Belser.
Justice Department spokeswoman Laura Sweeney also declined to comment Friday.
Gilley and Massey, who lobbied for Gilley, pleaded guilty earlier, along with another of Gilley's lobbyists, Jennifer Pouncy.
During a trial of 9 other defendants in the gambling case this summer, Massey testified that he paid Spicer $1,000 to $2,000 per month in cash for about seven years to help him line up lobbying clients and gave him $9,000 for a boat.
Gilley testified that he gave Spicer $20,000 in campaign contributions for supporting pro-gambling legislation designed to help Country Crossing. Gilley also testified that Spicer asked him for a $100,000-a-year consulting job in 2008 when Country Crossing was in the planning stages, but he declined.
During the summer trial, prosecutors would never say why they were eliciting testimony about Spicer when he hadn't been charged at that time.
Jim Parkman, defense attorney for state Sen. Harri Anne Smith of Slocomb, said Friday that prosecutors privately notified defense attorneys during the trial that they had worked out a plea agreement with Spicer and would be filing court papers later. He said it has no effect on Smith's case because the two were not working together.
The trial ended in August with two defendants acquitted. The jury could not resolve all the charges against seven others, including Smith, and they face a retrial in January.