Fishermen found guilty of cheating in tournament

GUNTERSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - Two Marshall County men charged with cheating in a Guntersville bass tournament were found guilty and sent to jail.

After a four hour trial, a district court judge ordered the men lose more than just their freedom Monday.

Gary Lee Minor Jr. of Albertville and Robert Scott Gillaspie of Boaz were ordered to the Marshall County Jail after their sentencing.

Minor and Gillaspie both appeared Monday morning for their trial, where they were found guilty of theft by deception and tampering with a sporting event.

They were ordered to a year suspended jail sentence, provided they serve 30 days, serve 400 hours of community service at Lake Guntersville State Park, two years probation, and each pay $1,000 and court costs.

The pair was charged earlier this year after they turned in a crop of fish to win the Tuesday and Thursday Night Owls Fishing Tournament on April 22.

In testimony heard Monday, Professional angler Richard Peek testified he witnessed the two men stop off at a boat dock and emerge with a large bass in a net that had come from inside the boat dock.

The men are allowed to make a $1,000 appeal bond, which would then send the case to a jury in circuit court. Should the pair make bond, a condition of their release is that they give up their hunting and fishing licenses.

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