NY Illegal Gambling Ring Leaders Sentenced to Home Detention

Two men described as leaders of an illegal gambling ring that operated in New York were recently sentenced. The criminal case involved several individuals who previously pleaded guilty after a multi-agency effort resulted in the bust of the illegal gambling and betting ring.

The extensive investigation uncovered that Louis P. Ferrari II co-conspired with Dominic Sprague and several other people to run the illegal gambling operation. While Ferrari was recognized as the leader of the illegal ring, Sprague was seen as the second in charge.

Other co-conspirators who have already pleaded guilty were sentenced to probation. The two were accused of running a betting operation without the required license. While in-person wagers were accepted, the unlawful activities also involved an illegal online sportsbook called sport700.com.

Both Ferrari and Sprague were arrested and consequently pleaded guilty. Now, as announced by the Democrat & Chronicle, the two men were sentenced to 10 months of home detention. The decision came from US District Judge Elizabeth Wolford on Wednesday.

As an owner of an excavation company and a father of two girls, Ferrari showed remorse about his actions. “I risked my family, and I feel terrible about it,” he revealed during his sentencing. Moreover, Ferrari said: “No one forced me to do what I did. It was probably out of greed and poor decision-making.”

While Judge Wolford agreed with the greed motive, she acknowledged that while Ferrari was aware of the investigation against him, he didn’t stop or discontinue the illegal gambling operation. “That didn’t cause you to stop being involved in criminal activity,” she said.

Family members and employees of Ferrari showed support for him. Some of them send letters to the court, asking for a more lenient sentence.

A Comprehensive Investigation Helps Bring Down the Illegal Operation

The illegal gambling operation contained multiple levels. Ferrari was in charge of bettors, who were also overseeing a network of sub-agents.

The extensive efforts of officers from multiple agencies ultimately helped bring down the illegal gambling ring. The investigation involved surveillance, subpoenas, as well as wiretaps and even undercover agents.

Prior to his arrest and the arrest of others involved in the unlawful activity, Ferrari was tipped off by a former New York state trooper. The trooper admitted to the crime during a court hearing on charges related to obstruction of justice from last May.

In a separate large-scale illegal gambling sting from earlier this year, 17 individuals were charged in New York. Law enforcement conducted an investigation that resulted in the arrest of more than a dozen people suspected of being involved in illegal gambling and loan sharking. Some of the detainees were allegedly tied to the infamous Gambino crime family.