Sunday, September 26, 1999
Three ready to admit they ran bet ring
Prosecutors say they made $350,000 during 5 years
BY TANYA ALBERT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Three Hamilton County men are expected to plead guilty Monday to charges that they were taking illegal bets on professional and college football and basketball games.
The men raked in more than $350,000 in profits since 1994, usually taking bets between the opening day of the National Football League schedule through college basketball's championship, Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen said.
Jerry Williams, 62, and Thomas Snow, 47, both of Sycamore Township, and Donald Gleason, 59, of Indian Hill, are scheduled to appear before Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Mark Schweikert on Monday morning. None of the men has a criminal record, Mr. Allen said.
Mr. Gleason, a golf pro; Mr. Snow, a door and windows salesman; and Mr. Williams, a retired businessman, split the money three ways, prosecutors say.
“As gambling rings go, it was probably relatively small,” Mr. Allen said, noting that illegal gambling doesn't appear to be a big problem in Hamilton County. “This isn't a Mafia ring.”
An informant tipped off the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Organized Crime Division about the gambling ring earlier this year. Investigators got a search warrant for the three homes and “found detailed, very detailed records,” Mr. Allen said.
From there, investigators got statements from the three men, he said.
The case is bypassing a grand jury and the men are expected to plead guilty to gambling, a first-degree misdemeanor. The maximum the men face is six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The men will also give up $120,000 total, with $96,000 going to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and $24,000 going to the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office.
“They cooperated fully,” said Michael Cussen, the men's attorney. “As soon as they were contacted by police, they contacted me and they've cooperated.”
But the men could have Internal Revenue Service problems, too. They didn't claim the income on their taxes.
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