Stipe's Brother Enters Not Guilty Plea

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Francis Stipe, a McAlester businessman and brother of ex-Senator Gene Stipe, pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges growing out of a federal public corruption probe.

Stipe was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven P. Shreder, who set his bail at $20,000 on charges that included mail fraud and witness tampering.

The charges are linked to alleged illegal transactions the government said occurred in a scheme to tap state funds for private business ventures.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gay Guthrie said the defendant was bound over for trial on January 7th before U.S. District Judge Ronald White.

Gene Stipe had been scheduled to report for treatment at a federal prison hospital on Friday for help to restore his mental competency. But his attorney, Clark Brewster, won a stay in the treatment order from the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver.

The 81-year-old Stipe was ordered to undergo treatment after his competency was questioned in a report from a prison hospital psychologist.

Stipe will remain confined in his McAlester home with electronic monitoring during the appeal.

Prosecutors are seeking to revoke Stipe's probation for perjury and campaign funding violations stemming from the failed 1998 congressional campaign of Walt Roberts, a former lawmaker from McAlester. Stipe pleaded guilty in the campaign case in 2003.

The government says Stipe should go to prison because he has violated the terms of his parole by associating with a felon and again skirting federal campaign law with excessive contributions

He and his brother were indicted on identical charges in the corruption case. Two men have pleaded guilty to felonies in that case former state Representative Mike Mass of Higgins and Kiowa businessman Steve Phipps.

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