(WWJ) – Former Flint Police Chief William Barksdale has pleaded guilty to illegal gambling charges after authorities busted him and two others running an illegal operation in 2017.
On Wednesday Barksdale pleaded no contest to one count of gambling violations – a five-year felony – and one count of reckless use of a firearm, a 90-day misdemeanor.
Authorities discovered more than 80 guns – eight of which were sawed-off shotguns – while executing a search warrant in the case.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board first began investigating Barksdale and his co-defendants, Alvin Crossnoe and Adam Crossnoe, after learning of suspected gambling activities without a casino license.
The MGCB sent regulation officers to the West Point Arcade in Flint in 2017, where they were able to play casino-style games on computer stations.
At the conclusion of the games, the officers were paid in generic gift cards, according to the MGCB. These activities fit the definition of gambling, which requires a license.
After their investigation, the MGCB regulation officers forwarded the matter to the Department of Attorney General for charges. The trio were first charged in October 2018.
The Crossnoes pleaded guilty in their respective cases in 2021.
Barksdale is set to be sentenced on April 14 in Genesee County Circuit Court.
“My office remains committed to upholding gaming rules and regulations,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said, per a press release. “We will continue to coordinate with the Michigan Gaming Control Board on this case and others to ensure our state’s gambling laws are strictly enforced.”
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