Poker Pro Gets Prison Time for Cyberstalking Try in Vegas

A poker professional known for his wins at the table will go to prison after admitting he tried to stalk a judge and a big name in poker through online means.

Judge Cites Repeated Misconduct as Poker Star Jordan Cristos Receives 14–48 Month Sentence

Jordan Cristos, 38, got 14 to 48 months in prison at a hearing on Wednesday at the Regional Justice Center. Judge Monica Trujillo, who ran the case, said she made her choice because Cristos kept breaking court rules and bugging people even after he got help and warnings. She said that while helping him was important, Cristos’ actions showed he wouldn’t respect limits when things did not go his way, reported The Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Cristos took an Alford plea in September. This meant he accepted that prosecutors had enough proof to convict him without saying he was guilty. The charge came from a bunch of online messages he sent to Family Court Judge Regina McConnell and Adam Pliska, who runs the World Poker Tour. McConnell was handling a custody fight involving Cristos.

Court papers showed that Cristos used email and social media to try to make McConnell rule his way. At one point, he even threatened to put her personal information online. Prosecutors also said he messaged Pliska and other poker tour executives. He demanded they bring back his online poker account and made some subtle threats when they said no.

Poker Pro’s Plea for Probation Rejected After Email Breach Raises Concerns

During sentencing, Deputy Public Defender Cherae Muije asked the court to consider probation. She pointed out that her client had already spent 126 days in custody and his separation from his children had a deep impact on him. She highlighted the emotional burden the case placed on him.

Prosecutor Laura Rose informed the court that Cristos had violated a no-contact order. He sent an email with the subject “Wrongfully Incarcerated” to her office, which included documents about his Family Court case. Muije suggested that someone outside of custody might have forwarded the message without Cristos knowing. However, Judge Trujillo said this incident played a role in her decision on the sentence.

In court, Cristos said sorry for what he did and expressed hope to move ahead in a good way. Even after he apologized, they took him back to the Clark County Detention Center when the hearing ended. Cristos, who has made millions playing poker live, used to be well-respected in professional poker circles. Now, his future in poker is unclear as he starts his sentence.