Rep. Gates pleads innocent to six felony tax charges

State Rep. Mickey Gates, R-District 22, entered a not guilty plea to six felony counts of failure to pay or file a tax return Tuesday in Garland County Circuit Court.

Judge Brad Karren of the 19th West Judicial Circuit in Bentonville, who was assigned to the case in July after all of Garland County’s circuit judges recused from the case, scheduled an omnibus hearing for 9 a.m. Jan. 3.

According to a criminal information previously filed with the circuit court by Special Prosecutor Jack McQuary, Gates is charged

with six counts of failure to pay or file a tax return, a Class D felony punishable by a sentence of up to six years in the Arkansas Department of Correction along with a fine of up to $10,000.

Each count represents one year that Gates allegedly failed to file a return: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

A docket entry made Tuesday said the case is to be “open file.” Karren, in an arraignment order on Tuesday, noted at the bottom that “state’s file is ‘open’ excluding FOIA.”

Karren in late July granted Gates permission to travel out of state as part of his business.

“Gates’s business — the selling of knives with company logos which these companies then distribute to their customers — requires him to attend various conventions and trade fairs around the United States,” said the motion for permission to travel outside the state filed by Gates’ attorney, Jeff Rosenzweig, of Little Rock.

“Moreover, as a public official and public figure, Gates clearly is not a flight risk,” the motion said.

Karren found that there was “good cause” for Gates to leave the state to promote his business interests, and noted that the state did not object, provided certain conditions were met.

The judge also noted that Gates has “sufficient ties to the community” and has not previously failed to appear in any court.

As a condition of his release, Karren’s order said Gates’ written notices regarding travel outside the state must include the date he is leaving; the date he is expected to return; and the purpose of the travel.

The prosecutor has 10 days after receiving Gates’ notice he is leaving the state to file any objections.

Since the judge signed the order, he has granted Gates permission to travel to Florida, from Sept. 1-15, to accompany a family member for medical examination and treatment, and permitting travel to Texas for family funerals Sept. 6-10 and again from Sept. 10-13.