MACON, Ga. — An agent with the Georgia Department of Revenue is now charged with violating the state’s RICO Act for bribery as part of a continued gambling investigation.
According to an arrest warrant, 53-year-old Special Agent Ronald Huckaby was arrested in Statesboro Friday morning as part of an investigation into an S&W Amusements case.
Macon-Bibb County District Attorney David Cooke said in a press conference that Huckaby was in charge of the Georgia Department of Revenue’s Alcohol and Tobacco Division, overseeing the Pooler and Douglas regions between Jan. 2016 and July 2019. He also supervised other agents.
Cooke said Huckaby is accused of exchanging “influence and information” with a man named Nital Raval for round-trip flights worth over $2,000 and a $13,000 Hublot watch.
The warrant says during that time, Raval told Huckaby and his agents to investigate Raval’s competitor, Manoj Patel.
Raval and Patel were both accused with participating in a multi-jurisdictional racketeering enterprise last week after the Department of Revenue raided Macon businesses for illegal gambling and other crimes.
The raid was part of the investigation into S&W Amusements and other coin-operated amusement machines.
Cook says Huckaby is also accused of accessing the department’s tax computer system in July 2017 to provide Raval with private information about his competitor’s tobacco license.
Huckaby was also a sworn Peace Officer. Cooke says he has resigned.
Cooke continued to urge the state to ban gambling machines that are “a cancer” on the community.
“It’s clear that the limitless amount of money this industry generates is used to buy influence wherever it can, and the only way to stop is for our legislature and our governor to act,” Cooke said.