2nd Police Officer Linked to Bid to Run Bingo Quits

A second San Diego police officer assigned to criminal intelligence has resigned from the department because he is bidding to help manage the high-stakes bingo games at the Barona Indian Reservation, Assistant Police Chief Bob Burgreen said Friday.

The officer, James P. Maynor, 45, a 17-year veteran, resigned at 4:30 p.m. Thursday after he was identified as the partner of Kathy Thaxton--who resigned from the department Wednesday after it was learned that she was seeking the management contract, Burgreen said.

Thaxton, a 12-year member of the department, had been involved in the criminal investigation of the bingo games. Former general manager Stewart Siegel pleaded guilty to four counts of stealing $96,000 in prize money won by shills--bingo players pre-selected by Siegel to win the fixed games. He is awaiting sentencing.

Thaxton entered the Sheriff’s Department investigation into the bingo operations because she played bingo on her own time at the reservation, said Deputy Atty. Gen. Gary Schons, who presented the case to the grand jury.

Thaxton, 40, said employees at the bingo hall who knew she was a police officer came to her with charges that some games were rigged. She later played a formal role in the investigation.

Bingo has not been played at Barona since April 27 because of a contractual dispute between the Indians and American Management and Amusement, which had managed the operation.

Thaxton told The Times she decided June 4 to seek the contract to resume the troubled operation at the suggestion of several Barona Indians.

On Wednesday night, several hours after resigning from the department, Thaxton made her proposal to the Barona tribal council. During her presentation, she indicated that another San Diego officer would work with her, Burgreen said. An internal investigation led to Maynor, who resigned when confronted with the information Thursday afternoon, Burgreen said.

“We told him he was immediately transferred (from criminal intelligence) and that we would not allow him to involve himself in this kind of business,” Burgreen said. “We told him he was transferred, and before we could get to the question of where he would be transferred to, he said he chose to resign.”

Burgreen said he is confident that no other police officers are involved with the Barona bingo operations.

“We’re reasonably convinced we’re at the end of the trail,” he said.

Maynor, who could not be reached for comment Friday, was not connected with the investigation of the bingo games, Burgreen said.

Schons reiterated Friday that Thaxton had not been actively involved in the bingo investigation for several months and that her decision to seek the management contract of the same games she had helped investigate would not compromise the ongoing inquiry.

The issue of whether bingo should be resumed on the Barona reservation--and under whose management--will be discussed at a full tribal meeting today.