Pair arrested after scamming Stateline casino

STATELINE -- A Carson City man and a Dayton man are accused of scamming more than $400,000 from Harveys Resort Casino, authorities said Thursday.

Jason Lawrence, 27, of Carson City allegedly signed credit markers with the name William Anderson and Bill Anderson. The markers were then used by Stephen Johnson, 21, of Dayton a card player, who would obtain chips using the forged markers, said court documents.

A credit marker can be a line of credit extended by a casino to a known player or money owed a player by the casino after a win.

Johnson would keep the chips, which were then shared by the two men, according to a criminal complaint filed by Kristine Brown, a Douglas County deputy district attorney.

According to the complaint, the scam began around December.

It is not known how the two know each other. Both were born in Kansas.

Ed Yenick, Northern Nevada's deputy chief of enforcement for the Nevada Gaming Control Board, said the men have been under investigation for some time. The two were arrested last month.

"We got contacted by Harrah's (Lake Tahoe) and Harveys' security folks," Yenick said. "I think a dealer had reported something suspicious going on with Mr. Lawrence. I believe surveillance started to watch him at that point."

Yenick said about $450,000 was taken, but the amount is still being calculated.

A Harveys' spokesman could not be reached Thursday for comment.

Cal Dunlap, Johnson's attorney, said "we're reviewing the case" and declined to comment further.

Lawrence was charged with felony counts of burglary, grand theft and forgery and a misdemeanor count of conspiracy. He is free on $130,000 bail.

Johnson is facing similar felony charges of burglary and theft. He was also charged with misdemeanor conspiracy. He is out on $125,000 bail.

The two are scheduled to appear in Tahoe Township Justice Court on Aug. 5.