Former police chief bonds out on extortion charge
WHEATLEY, Ark. — The former top cop in a small Arkansas town is out of jail on $25,000 bond Tuesday.
Jacob Gammel, 25, is charged with theft, extortion and perjury for allegedly shaking down a local businessman for money in exchange for protection, involving gaming machines.
The man who is in line to replace him says the scandal has rocked the small town.
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“It’s a professional field so, I mean, we are held to a higher standards. We do go by a code of ethics where we swear to serve and protect the community,” said Kyata Mayo, who is now acting Chief Marshal of Wheatley, Arkansas.
He admits the arrest of his former boss Jacob Gammel cast a bad light on law enforcement in Wheatley.
“Once allegations and things are formed and stuff comes out over social media it begins to break the trust between the community and the department,” Mayo said.
Gammel was arrested March 25 on allegations he accepted money from the owner of this convenience store in Wheatley on a monthly basis in exchange for protection involving gaming machines at the store — machines that were legal.
He allegedly threatened to arrest the store owner for not being able to pay a monthly protection fee.
Tuesday, in what was once Gammel’s office at Wheatley City Hall, WREG asked Mayo about his former boss.
“I can’t think of the actual words to explain the kind of cop he was. I mean he led the department of course,” Mayo said.
He said he was aware of any complaints of misconduct against Gammel.
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“I normally came across the complaints from social media and stuff that came across social media, but then we started getting phone calls in about allegations and stuff which will have to be investigated,” Mayo said.
He declined to go into detail on the investigation involving the gaming machines, which are now evidence.
The owner of the convenience store did not want to comment.
Mayo was clear about Jacob Gammel’s future in law enforcement.
“As far as his position here, you can not be in law enforcement with any pending charges, so that kind of clears that up,” he said.
Gammel’s next court appearance is June 10 in St. Francis County Circuit Court.
Wheatley is a town of fewer than 300 about an hour southwest of Memphis, near Brinkley.
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