St. Paul truck driver suspected of illegal sports gambling
Driver for Water Department is a gambling suspect
By Mara H. Gottfried and Dave Orrick
Pioneer Press
Updated: 04/14/2010 11:56:20 PM CDT
Police have arrested a longtime St. Paul Regional Water Services worker on suspicion of felony gambling.
Philip L. Gutterman, 52, was arrested Tuesday, soon after an undercover St. Paul officer bought tip boards related to sporting events from him, said Sgt. Paul Schnell, police spokesman.
Gutterman, of St. Paul, has not been charged. Tip boards are illegal betting tickets.
When police pulled Gutterman over at 4 p.m. Tuesday, he was driving a personal vehicle and wearing a shirt that had "water department" written on it, Schnell said.
Gutterman was arrested after work, said Steve Schneider, St. Paul Regional Water Services general manager.
"At this point in time, there are no allegations that I'm aware of that anything involved anything he did on the job," Schneider said.
The police department's vice unit, which investigates illegal gambling, among other things, was investigating Gutterman after "alleged gambling activities" came to their attention, Schnell said. He said he didn't know how police became aware of the allegations.
Sports boards, which are illegal in Minnesota, are based on the outcome of sporting events, according to the Minnesota Gambling Control Board. "(T)he participant pays for the chance of winning a prize on the board," the board's illegal gambling guide says.
Gutterman was released Wednesday from the Ramsey County Jail. He could not be reached for comment. The case remains under investigation, Schnell said.
Gutterman, employed by the city since 1977, earns $22.82 an hour as a truck driver for St. Paul Regional Water Services, according to the city's human resources department and the water department. In 2009, Gutterman earned $53,944 from the city, including 330 hours of overtime, city payroll records show.
Gutterman's work status remains unchanged, said Angie Nalezny, St. Paul human resources director. "We have nothing to believe this was work-related, but we will, of course, be following the status of the criminal proceedings as necessary," she wrote in an e-mail.
It was unclear Wednesday afternoon whether Gutterman had ever been disciplined on the job.
Driver for Water Department is a gambling suspect
By Mara H. Gottfried and Dave Orrick
Pioneer Press
Updated: 04/14/2010 11:56:20 PM CDT
Police have arrested a longtime St. Paul Regional Water Services worker on suspicion of felony gambling.
Philip L. Gutterman, 52, was arrested Tuesday, soon after an undercover St. Paul officer bought tip boards related to sporting events from him, said Sgt. Paul Schnell, police spokesman.
Gutterman, of St. Paul, has not been charged. Tip boards are illegal betting tickets.
When police pulled Gutterman over at 4 p.m. Tuesday, he was driving a personal vehicle and wearing a shirt that had "water department" written on it, Schnell said.
Gutterman was arrested after work, said Steve Schneider, St. Paul Regional Water Services general manager.
"At this point in time, there are no allegations that I'm aware of that anything involved anything he did on the job," Schneider said.
The police department's vice unit, which investigates illegal gambling, among other things, was investigating Gutterman after "alleged gambling activities" came to their attention, Schnell said. He said he didn't know how police became aware of the allegations.
Sports boards, which are illegal in Minnesota, are based on the outcome of sporting events, according to the Minnesota Gambling Control Board. "(T)he participant pays for the chance of winning a prize on the board," the board's illegal gambling guide says.
Gutterman was released Wednesday from the Ramsey County Jail. He could not be reached for comment. The case remains under investigation, Schnell said.
Gutterman, employed by the city since 1977, earns $22.82 an hour as a truck driver for St. Paul Regional Water Services, according to the city's human resources department and the water department. In 2009, Gutterman earned $53,944 from the city, including 330 hours of overtime, city payroll records show.
Gutterman's work status remains unchanged, said Angie Nalezny, St. Paul human resources director. "We have nothing to believe this was work-related, but we will, of course, be following the status of the criminal proceedings as necessary," she wrote in an e-mail.
It was unclear Wednesday afternoon whether Gutterman had ever been disciplined on the job.
