Former Williamsburg Police Chief Pleads Guilty to Structuring Cash Deposits

By Trish Mehaffey, Reporter

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By Lauren Peikoff

Story Created: Jul 31, 2012 at 2:26 AM CDT

Story Updated: Jul 31, 2012 at 2:26 AM CDT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - A former Williamsburg police chief and owner of Gabe's Gun Shop pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to structuring cash deposits to conceal gun sales and agreed to forfeit more than $374,000 as part of the plea agreement.

Michael Gabriel, who retired from the Williamsburg Police Department in 2007, and formerly operated Gabe's Gun Shop in Williamsburg, pleaded guilty to one count of structuring monetary transactions to evade reporting requirements. Gabriel faces one to five years probation, a fine of up to $500,000 and he will forfeit $374,950.

Gabriel attempted to conceal his gun business deposits by splitting up cash deposits in excess of $10,000 made in a single day into smaller deposits to avoid the reporting requirement, according to court documents. He structured one or more cash deposits received from firearm and ammunition sales from April 27, 2009 through Aug. 17, 2010.

The Internal Revenue Service initially seized money from Gabriel's business and home in April 2011 and a criminal investigation was conducted and Gabriel was charged earlier this month in U.S. District Court.

According to Gabe's Gun Shop website, Cody and Nick Gabriel now operate the business in Williamsburg.

Gabriel joined the Williamsburg Police Department in 1975, became the police chief a year later and retired in May 2007.

Sentencing hasn't been set at this time.