Gilley Says Arrest Me

Country Crossing developer Ronnie Gilley has called for his own arrest by an illegal gambling task force in Alabama in order to move forward a case involving electronic bingo machines at his casino.

Gilley’s casino in Dothan, Ala., has been closed for nine months under threat of a raid by Gov. Bob Riley’s gambling task force, according to representatives for the project, and no courts have found the machines to be against the law.

“We offer ourselves for prosecution,” Country Crossing attorney Sam Cherry told the Dothan Eagle. “We are ready. Come arrest us and let us have our day in court. They will not prosecute anybody for violating these criminal statutes because they can not get a conviction.”

Task force commander John Tyson told the paper in a statement that “it’s never a good idea to let those who break the law decide the prosecution’s law enforcement strategy.

“If he now is offering to stop hiding and take the chains off the doors so state investigators can inspect his casino and seize any illegal slot machines, the state would certainly accept the invitation.”

Gilley reportedly plans to reopen Country Crossing next year. George Jones, Lorrie Morgan, Darryl Worley, John Anderson and Tracy Lawrence have namesake businesses on the development.