By Jeremy Peppas
Stephens Media

LITTLE ROCK — A federal judge has set trial dates for a North Little Rock alderman and a former colleague in a public corruption case.

Alderman Sam Baggett’s trial will be first and is set for Dec. 7 in U.S. District Court in Little Rock. Former alderman Cary Gaines’ trial will be Feb. 1.

U.S. District Judge Bill Wilson set the dates and will preside over both cases.

Baggett and Gaines will both be tried with George Wylie Thompson of Cabot, who federal prosecutors maintain is a member of New York’s Colombo Mafia crime family.

Baggett remains on the North Little Rock City Council, while Gaines resigned as alderman in November 2009 before he was named in any indictment.

Gaines is accused of scheming with Thompson to rig bids for public works projects to pay off gambling debts.

Baggett, a former licensed gun dealer, is accused of selling firearms and ammunition to a known felon, Thompson. Both are accused of making false statements to federal agents about their dealings with Thompson.

Thompson faces felony charges ranging from drug trafficking to gambling.

All three have maintained their innocence from the start, and on July 20 they all pleaded not guilty to new gambling conspiracy charges contained in a superseding indictment.

The new indictment is based on information from five other defendants who have all pleaded guilty to federal charges and are cooperating with government prosecutors.

Defense attorneys have filed motions seeking to suppress court-authorized wiretaps against the trio before the trial begins. Prosecutors have introduced six volumes of transcripts that represent hours of recordings going back to 2008, a year prior to Thompson’s December indictment with Baggett and Gaines.

U.S. Magistrate David Young will hear those motions on Aug. 24, the original trial date for Gaines and Thompson.