Justin Hines is the latest defendant to plead hangdog in a far-reaching illegal sports gambling instance inward Chicago federal court. It involved a multi-million-dollar gaming ringing that allegedly was operated in and around Windy City by Vincent “Uncle Mick” DelGiudice.
Hines, 42, entered his plea before US District Judge Old Dominion Kendall earliest this week. He is scheduled to follow sentenced on Jan. 7, 2022, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Hines was described as a cay federal agent for the gambling operation, the news report adds. He allegedly shared his win and losses with DelGiudice, the study said.
In total, 10 defendants were supercharged last twelvemonth following an investigation into the gambling operation. Many of them avoided clip in prison house after entering guilty pleas.s
Defendant Casey Urlacher, who is city manager of Mettawa, Ill., was pardoned inwards January past President Donald Trump shortly before he left office.
Todd Blanken is also among the defendants who avoided disbursement time in prison. In June, he was sentenced to six months inwards a community of interests center, also by Judge Kendall. He tin can do work while staying in the center. He was also precondition II years of probation, the Sun-Times said.
DelGiudice has yet to follow sentenced. He pled shamed inwards the pillowcase earlier this year to charges of play cabal and money laundering. The Sun-Times reported DelGiudice earned $8 zillion from the gaming ring.
DelGiudice allegedly recruited agents, such as Hines, for the play operation.
It was operated through the unclemicksports.com website. DelGiudice allegedly paid a Costa Rican troupe $10,000 a month for the site, the Sun-Times reported.
Cash, Silver, Jewels
A look of DelGiudice’s house in Orland Park, Ill. led to the raptus of more than $1.06 trillion inwards cash, silvery bars, and jewelry valued at $347,895. Also seized were atomic number 79 coins precious at $92,623.
In total, the peal mired o'er 1,000 gamblers nationwide, prosecutors said. The wagers were on pro and unpaid sports events, prosecutors add. Wagers were made on baseball, basketball, football, hockey, as considerably as college sports, the Sun-Times said.
Last year, Kendall sentenced DelGiudice’s 85-year-old father, Eugene, to threesome months of home detention.
Another defendant, Windy City Police Officer Saint Nicholas Stella, testament help time in prison, the Sun-Times said. Stella was sentenced to 15 months inward federal prison house for his role as a top bookie.
One Defendant Suffers From Brain Cancer
Still another defendant, Hildebrand Paloian, was sentenced to two and a half years. But he later was diagnosed with depot brainpower cancer, WLS, a local TV station, reported.
Paloian was presumption compassionate succor by a judge, precondition the medical condition. He testament move into prison on August 18, 2022, WLS reported.