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ARI chief acquitted of all charges
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| Pipkin |
By GEORGE JARED
Paxton Media News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — An American Railcar plant manager, accused of stealing and reselling heavy equipment has been acquitted of nine federal charges.
His jury deadlocked during his trial last month, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Jack Pipkin, of Rector, was found not guilty of multiple counts of conspiracy to structure financial transactions, receipt and possession of stolen bulldozers and a skidsteer and movement of stolen heavy equipment across state lines.
“We do not celebrate victories or mourn loses,” said U.S. Attorney Jane Duke. “We respect the jury’s decision.”
Attempts to contact Pipkin at his ARI office were unsuccessful.
In April, Pipkin was acquitted of three counts of conspiracy to steal, receive, possess conceal, dispose of and transport interstate property, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Jurors also acquitted Pipkin of possessing a stolen 1997 John Deere bulldozer and structuring a financial transaction by writing three checks to Miller for $7,000 each in exchange for a stolen vehicle.
Duke said on Tuesday she couldn’t comment as to whether new charges will be brought against Pipkin.
Pipkin cannot be retried for the 12 federal charges of which he was just acquitted, Duke said. “Double Jeopardy laws prevent that,” she said.
The plant manager had been accused, along with Thomas Scott Miller of Trumann, of stealing and reselling heavy equipment throughout northeast Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, from June 2004 to Sept. 15 2004, according to the federal indictment.
Miller pleaded guilty to six counts stemming from the case and testified against the ARI plant manager at his April trial, Duke said in a previous interview. Miller is awaiting sentencing.
His jury deadlocked during his trial last month, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Jack Pipkin, of Rector, was found not guilty of multiple counts of conspiracy to structure financial transactions, receipt and possession of stolen bulldozers and a skidsteer and movement of stolen heavy equipment across state lines.
“We do not celebrate victories or mourn loses,” said U.S. Attorney Jane Duke. “We respect the jury’s decision.”
Attempts to contact Pipkin at his ARI office were unsuccessful.
In April, Pipkin was acquitted of three counts of conspiracy to steal, receive, possess conceal, dispose of and transport interstate property, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Jurors also acquitted Pipkin of possessing a stolen 1997 John Deere bulldozer and structuring a financial transaction by writing three checks to Miller for $7,000 each in exchange for a stolen vehicle.
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Pipkin cannot be retried for the 12 federal charges of which he was just acquitted, Duke said. “Double Jeopardy laws prevent that,” she said.
The plant manager had been accused, along with Thomas Scott Miller of Trumann, of stealing and reselling heavy equipment throughout northeast Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, from June 2004 to Sept. 15 2004, according to the federal indictment.
Miller pleaded guilty to six counts stemming from the case and testified against the ARI plant manager at his April trial, Duke said in a previous interview. Miller is awaiting sentencing.
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