Richie, one of these the big Local you were talking about??
By Robert Kelly
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
05/13/2009
A man from Chesterfield and another man from Naples, Fla., who formerly lived in St. Louis, have been charged with running an illegal multi-million-dollar gambling business centered in the St. Louis area.
Douglas Lee Brown, 53, of Chesterfield, and Michael Joseph Russo, 52, of Naples, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that, between November 2006 and November 2007, they operated an illegal gambling business which involved pool-making and betting on sporting events.
The indictments actually were returned March 26, but remained sealed until the surrenders of the defendants earlier this week. They appeared in federal court earlier today, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Michael W. Reap.
Brown is accused of one count of operating an illegal gambling business, one count of engaging in an illegal monetary transaction and five counts of interstate transmission of wagering information.
Russo is charged with one count of operating an illegal gambling business.
All of the charges are felonies.
In addition, each man is charged with a forfeiture count, which, upon conviction, would require the forfeiture of money and property derived from the illegal activity. Subject to forfeiture under that count is $7.5 million, plus real estate, vehicles, jewelry, firearms and electronics.
Conviction for operating an illegal gambling business carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; engaging in an illegal monetary transaction in money derived from unlawful activity carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; and interstate transmission of wagering information carries a maximum of two years prison and/or fines up to $250,000.
In the fall of 2007, federal court documents showed that the FBI and St. Louis County police were investigating Brown.
That information was disclosed in a civil forfeiture suit filed by federal prosecutors over guns, a car and almost $300,000 seized that year.
The suit said that Brown, of the 300 block of Greentrails Drive South, was a bookmaker who accepted $6,600 in bets from a "cooperating source."
FBI agents raided his house in April 2007 and seized the guns, jewelry, a 2003 Mercedes Benz and $37,231 in cash, court documents showed, and also seized $258,000 from a safe-deposit box.
The suit said Brown told law enforcement at the time that "his sole source of income was illegal gambling on sporting events."
No federal criminal charges were filed in the case until the indictments were returned this March.
By Robert Kelly
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
05/13/2009
A man from Chesterfield and another man from Naples, Fla., who formerly lived in St. Louis, have been charged with running an illegal multi-million-dollar gambling business centered in the St. Louis area.
Douglas Lee Brown, 53, of Chesterfield, and Michael Joseph Russo, 52, of Naples, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that, between November 2006 and November 2007, they operated an illegal gambling business which involved pool-making and betting on sporting events.
The indictments actually were returned March 26, but remained sealed until the surrenders of the defendants earlier this week. They appeared in federal court earlier today, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Michael W. Reap.
Brown is accused of one count of operating an illegal gambling business, one count of engaging in an illegal monetary transaction and five counts of interstate transmission of wagering information.
Russo is charged with one count of operating an illegal gambling business.
All of the charges are felonies.
In addition, each man is charged with a forfeiture count, which, upon conviction, would require the forfeiture of money and property derived from the illegal activity. Subject to forfeiture under that count is $7.5 million, plus real estate, vehicles, jewelry, firearms and electronics.
Conviction for operating an illegal gambling business carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; engaging in an illegal monetary transaction in money derived from unlawful activity carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; and interstate transmission of wagering information carries a maximum of two years prison and/or fines up to $250,000.
In the fall of 2007, federal court documents showed that the FBI and St. Louis County police were investigating Brown.
That information was disclosed in a civil forfeiture suit filed by federal prosecutors over guns, a car and almost $300,000 seized that year.
The suit said that Brown, of the 300 block of Greentrails Drive South, was a bookmaker who accepted $6,600 in bets from a "cooperating source."
FBI agents raided his house in April 2007 and seized the guns, jewelry, a 2003 Mercedes Benz and $37,231 in cash, court documents showed, and also seized $258,000 from a safe-deposit box.
The suit said Brown told law enforcement at the time that "his sole source of income was illegal gambling on sporting events."
No federal criminal charges were filed in the case until the indictments were returned this March.
