A small Arkansas town is grappling with a breach of trust following the arrest of its former police chief. In a statement obtained by WREG, the St. Francis County Sheriff confirmed that Jacob Gammel, 25, was arrested Monday on charges including theft and perjury.
The charges stem from an alleged extortion scheme involving a local convenience store owner who, Sheriff Bobby May claimed, was paying Gammel for protection related to gaming machines—machines that are, in fact, legal. "He told him the last month that he didn't have enough money to pay," said May. "So, then Chief Gammel got an arrest warrant for him on the gaming machines which was falsified." Detailing how the business owner was allegedly misled about the legality of his gaming machines, May told WREG.
Gammel faced the legal music on Tuesday when he was slated for a court appearance. Details about the proceedings are yet to unfold, but the trust in the town’s law enforcement has undoubtedly been shaken. Further information pends released, as reported by Action News 5.
The former chief was booked at the county jail, adding a stark chapter to his ledger of life. As the case develops, the community of Wheatley waits, their sense of justice hanging in the balance, a balance once tipped by one sworn to uphold it. With insights from the county jail log, the story was corroborated by the NWA Homepage.
