MONROE - A Monroe man was arrested Thursday on six felony charges of running a gambling operation that involved betting on college and professional football games, according to a criminal complaint filed in Green County Circuit Court.
Werner J. Rast, 50, Monroe, was arrested at 3:15 p.m. at his home in the 2600 block of Golf Vu Court, following what Police Chief Fred Kelley described as a "long-term investigation into commercial gambling in Monroe." The police department is conducting the investigation with the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
Rast is charged with receiving bets and using wire communication to transmit bets during the fall months of 2005, 2006 and 2007. If he is found guilty on all six counts, he could face up to 21 years in prison and $60,000 in fines.
The investigation into Rast's case began Nov. 11, 2007, when police responded to a complaint from a "hysterical female" at his residence. His then-wife reportedly told officers that Rast became enraged when she asked him to watch football in different room. With her consent, officers conducted a search of the home, and later, with a search warrant, they looked through his computer and phone records.
Investigators interviewed more than a half-dozen people who said they placed bets on games by phoning or e-mailing Rast. According to these interviews, Rast used nicknames such as "Thunder", "Schmitty", "Stinger" and "Yogi" to identify individual betters in his bookkeeping. His records allegedly show hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars lost and won. According to the criminal complaint, one better lost $11,045 in 2005 alone.
Old Smokey's Bar, 1301 17th St., is named in the criminal complaint as the dropoff and pickup location for betting cash, with owner Jeff Conway as the point person.
Rast was released Friday from jail on a $1,000 bond, on the conditions that he surrender his passport and does not participate in any gambling.
The preliminary hearing for his case is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 16.
Werner J. Rast, 50, Monroe, was arrested at 3:15 p.m. at his home in the 2600 block of Golf Vu Court, following what Police Chief Fred Kelley described as a "long-term investigation into commercial gambling in Monroe." The police department is conducting the investigation with the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
Rast is charged with receiving bets and using wire communication to transmit bets during the fall months of 2005, 2006 and 2007. If he is found guilty on all six counts, he could face up to 21 years in prison and $60,000 in fines.
The investigation into Rast's case began Nov. 11, 2007, when police responded to a complaint from a "hysterical female" at his residence. His then-wife reportedly told officers that Rast became enraged when she asked him to watch football in different room. With her consent, officers conducted a search of the home, and later, with a search warrant, they looked through his computer and phone records.
Investigators interviewed more than a half-dozen people who said they placed bets on games by phoning or e-mailing Rast. According to these interviews, Rast used nicknames such as "Thunder", "Schmitty", "Stinger" and "Yogi" to identify individual betters in his bookkeeping. His records allegedly show hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars lost and won. According to the criminal complaint, one better lost $11,045 in 2005 alone.
Old Smokey's Bar, 1301 17th St., is named in the criminal complaint as the dropoff and pickup location for betting cash, with owner Jeff Conway as the point person.
Rast was released Friday from jail on a $1,000 bond, on the conditions that he surrender his passport and does not participate in any gambling.
The preliminary hearing for his case is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 16.