Fuentes
Two people admitted to felonies Monday in connection with a $1 million sports book betting scheme.
Richard Fuentes Jr., 43, and Ashley D. Dean, 32, were arraigned in Douglas County District Court.
Dean admitted to conspiracy to commit embezzlement and embezzlement.
She was a manager at the William Hill Sports Book at the Mont Bleu and Hard Rock casinos where she collected winnings on bets that weren’t made. She faces up to 1-5 years on the felony and 364 days in jail on the conspiracy charge.
Fuentes, a Folsom, Calif., resident, admitted to a count of principal to fraudulent gaming act, which carries a 1-6-year sentence.
“I feel that if I went to a jury I would be gambling,” he said. “I’m responsible for what occurred. I didn’t force anyone to do anything.”
The theft was discovered by sports book operators in November after Dean generated a $60,000 bet while no one was at her station.
Carson City resident Dean told a Gaming Control Board agent that Fuentes was a regular and that they became friends.
In September he would text her and ask if she would place a bet for him because he was running late to beat the start of a football game.
The bets started small at $20 or $50 at a time. If Fuentes won, Dean would use the winnings to pay off the bank and then give Fuentes the rest. If he lost he was supposed to pay the cost of the ticket to Dean so her bank balanced.
But when Fuentes couldn’t cover the losses he kept upping the ante. In all, gaming agents discovered 74 wagers amounting to more than $1 million on Fuentes’ player card with 31 wins amounting to $234,435.
Agents determined that Fuentes was in Reno making sports bets while Dean was at Stateline making large bets on his behalf, including three $55,000 bets on football games.
Dean also convinced a fellow employee to place bets for Fuentes. That woman moved to Arizona and may be subject to a warrant and arrest.
Both Fuentes and Dean will be jointly responsible for paying restitution to the casino.
The thefts occurred between Sept. 22 and Nov. 4, 2018.
District Judge Tom Gregory warned them both that they should do what they can to come up with restitution when they appear for sentencing on Jan. 13.
-->Two people admitted to felonies Monday in connection with a $1 million sports book betting scheme.
Richard Fuentes Jr., 43, and Ashley D. Dean, 32, were arraigned in Douglas County District Court.
Dean admitted to conspiracy to commit embezzlement and embezzlement.
She was a manager at the William Hill Sports Book at the Mont Bleu and Hard Rock casinos where she collected winnings on bets that weren’t made. She faces up to 1-5 years on the felony and 364 days in jail on the conspiracy charge.
Fuentes, a Folsom, Calif., resident, admitted to a count of principal to fraudulent gaming act, which carries a 1-6-year sentence.
“I feel that if I went to a jury I would be gambling,” he said. “I’m responsible for what occurred. I didn’t force anyone to do anything.”
The theft was discovered by sports book operators in November after Dean generated a $60,000 bet while no one was at her station.
Carson City resident Dean told a Gaming Control Board agent that Fuentes was a regular and that they became friends.
In September he would text her and ask if she would place a bet for him because he was running late to beat the start of a football game.
The bets started small at $20 or $50 at a time. If Fuentes won, Dean would use the winnings to pay off the bank and then give Fuentes the rest. If he lost he was supposed to pay the cost of the ticket to Dean so her bank balanced.
But when Fuentes couldn’t cover the losses he kept upping the ante. In all, gaming agents discovered 74 wagers amounting to more than $1 million on Fuentes’ player card with 31 wins amounting to $234,435.
Agents determined that Fuentes was in Reno making sports bets while Dean was at Stateline making large bets on his behalf, including three $55,000 bets on football games.
Dean also convinced a fellow employee to place bets for Fuentes. That woman moved to Arizona and may be subject to a warrant and arrest.
Both Fuentes and Dean will be jointly responsible for paying restitution to the casino.
The thefts occurred between Sept. 22 and Nov. 4, 2018.
District Judge Tom Gregory warned them both that they should do what they can to come up with restitution when they appear for sentencing on Jan. 13.