Man pleads guilty in Las Vegas bookmaking case
A New Jersey man pleaded guilty Tuesday in a $5.1 million bookmaking operation that accepted wagers in Las Vegas from across the country and Costa Rica.
Frank Evans, 60, pleaded guilty to money laundering and conspiracy to conduct an illegal gambling business.
Evans, who was free on his own recognizance, will be sentenced Jan. 29 before Chief U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro.
As part of his plea deal with federal prosecutors, Evans admitted his leadership role in the operation and agreed to cooperate in the case.
Evans and two other men — Allan Dobkowski, 59, of Las Vegas, and Paul Yavorski, 49, of New Jersey — were charged last year in a 31-count federal indictment that detailed the betting operation.
The group accepted illegal phone wagers from bettors in Las Vegas, California, New York and New Jersey between November 2006 and April 2009, the indictment alleged.
The group also accepted bets through a website affiliated with a race and sports book in Costa Rica, according to the indictment.
Dobkowski is alleged to have run the Las Vegas end of the bookmaking operation through a “wire room” that took in phone bets.
Evans managed the New York-New Jersey end of the business, and Yavorski handled the offshore wagering, the indictment alleged.
Agents with the IRS, U.S. Homeland Security Department and Nevada Gaming Control Board participated in the investigation.
Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135. Find him on Twitter: @JGermanRJ
