PLANO (CBS 11 NEWS) – Law enforcement
officials have busted a major sports gambling
ring that originated in North Texas and
generated more than $5.4 billion in bets. The
seven-year investigation has resulted in the
convictions of 18 North Texans, who worked as
bookies for the operation.
According to Plano police, the investigation
started with a tip that came into the department
in 2006. At that time, an undercover officer
made contact with a bookmaker affiliated with
Global Internet Corportation, an offshore sports
book headquartered in Curacao. GIC has been
in operation since 2002.
Throughout the investigation, law enforcement
identified 18 people who accepted professional
and college sporting event bets through more
than two-dozen websites hosted in Curacao.
Some of those bets were placed by undercover
officers, as explained by U.S. Attorney John M.
Bales.
“The team used undercover operatives who
acted as bettors. They opened undercover
bank accounts and executed court ordered
intercepts of three of the gambling websites.
Virtually every meeting was electronically
monitored and the undercover agents placed
almost 300 bets,” he said.
From January 2007 until February 2011, the
gambling ring made more than $200 million in
profits. Law enforcement executed 79 search
and seizure warrants in early 2011, taking stacks
of cash, cars, homes, sports memorabilia, and
other property.
All 18 defendants have pleaded guilty to a range
of crimes including money laundering, illegal
gambling, and tax violations.
Albert Sydney Reed, Jr., 57, of Southlake,
Texas, was convicted of prohibition of illegal
gambling business and sentenced to 12 months
and 1 day in federal prison.
Curtis Wayne Higgins, 45, of Proper, Texas,
was convicted of engaging in monetary
transactions in property derived from illegal
gambling and sentenced to 5 years of
probation.
David Mullins, 48, of Coppell, Texas, was
convicted of engaging in monetary transactions
in property derived from illegal gambling and
sentenced to 5 years of probation.
Dean Hartley Maddox, 69, of Houston, was
convicted of willful failure to file a tax return
and sentenced to 18 months of probation.
Carl Francis, 71, of Dallas, was convicted of
prohibition of illegal gambling business and
was sentenced to 3 years of probation, 6
months home confinement and 200 hours of
community service.
Andrew Harris McElroy, 44, of Dallas, was
convicted of engaging in monetary transactions
in property derived from illegal gambling and
sentenced to 3 years of probation.
Steven Arnold Bell, 58, of Arlington, Texas,
was convicted of prohibition of illegal gambling
business and sentenced to 2 years of probation
and 6 months home detention.
Neil Marcus Gerson, 51, of Frisco, Texas, was
convicted of prohibition of illegal gambling
business and sentenced to 2 years of
probation.
Robert Primm, 71, of Fort Worth, was
convicted of a violation of willful failure to file a
tax return and sentenced to 6 months of
probation.
Charles Albert Brawner, 66, of McKinney,
Texas, was convicted of engaging in monetary
transactions in property derived from illegal
gambling and sentenced to 5 years of
probation.
Adam John Brady, 36, of Irving, Texas, was
convicted of prohibition of illegal gambling
business and sentenced to 2 years of
probation.
William Craig Robertson, 42, of Rockwall,
Texas, was convicted of prohibition of illegal
gambling business and sentenced to 3 years of
probation.
Thomas Applegate, 45, of Carrollton, Texas
pleaded guilty to prohibition of illegal gambling
business and is awaiting sentencing.
William Michael Christopher, 56, of Fort Worth,
pleaded guilty to prohibition of illegal gambling
business and is awaiting sentencing.
Larry Dean Coralli, 78, of Addison, Texas,
pleaded guilty to prohibition of illegal gambling
business and is awaiting sentencing.
Brent Lee Coralli, 48, of Plano, Texas, pleaded
guilty to prohibition of illegal gambling
business and is awaiting sentencing.
Robert Roy Hodges, 71, of Dallas, pleaded
guilty to prohibition of illegal gambling
business and is awaiting sentencing.
Gregg Richard Merkow, 49, of Plano, Texas,
pleaded guilty to prohibition of illegal gambling
business and is awaiting sentencing.
To date, the U.S. Government has collected
more than $10 million from the gambling ring’s
illegal profits. Nearly $5 million was presented
to the Plano police for the department’s role in
the investigation.
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