A North Little Rock City Council member finds himself wrapped up in a federal indictment investigation. The indictment accuses the alderman and George Wylie Thompson of trying to rig the bidding process over some work the city was trying to have done.
Thompson, 64, of Cabot was in a Los Angeles jail Monday night after authorities arrested him in Thailand on several charges including illegal possession of 147 firearms, operating an illegal gambling business, and cocaine possession.
The indictment also accuses Thompson of making plans with an unnamed North Little Rock city alderman to rig the bidding process for sidewalk repair work and landscaping work off Interstate 40. The indictment claims Thompson wanted the alderman to award the work to an unnamed contractor as a method of repaying a debt.
The indictment shows an April 3rd phone conversation between Thompson and the alderman about the landscaping work.
Local newspapers report Ward 3 alderman Cary Gaines says he's the man in the indictment and he's gotten an attorney. FOX16 went to his home and called him but couldn't reach him. The Alderman has not been charged with any crime.
"I have spoken with the mayor," said city attorney Jason Carter. "He's aware of the situation and he's monitoring it." With Mayor Patrick Hays out of town, Carter says people have flooded his office with calls but the city can't do much right now except wait and see what prosecutors do next.
The indictment never says the unnamed vendor actually ended up doing the work. As for who that vendor is no one is saying at this point.
