MONROE - A years-long state investigation into a local gambling operation involves admissions of illegal betting by more than a dozen area men, but it's not yet clear how deep the state will go in prosecuting the case.
The men made statements against their own interest that they bet on college basketball, college football and the NFL in 2006 and 2007, according to criminal complaints filed in Green County Circuit Court. The documents are available for the public to view at the Justice Center or online at doj.state.wi.us.
Their statements to investigators led to the arrests of two Monroe men, Werner J. Rast, 50, and Jeffrey J. Conway, 52, the alleged bookies of the operation.
Rast was arrested in December and faces 10 felony gambling charges. Conway was arrested this week on eight felony gambling charges.
The criminal complaints against Rast and Conway present evidence of a gambling ring that dated back to at least 2000, took in thousands of dollars weekly from betters with nicknames like "Thunder" and "Yogi" and used Conway's southside bar, Old Smokey's, as the exchange location for money won or owed.
Gamblers paid a 10 percent fee on lost bets, according to testimony in court.
Rast pleaded not guilty to all felony charges and has a jury trial scheduled for August.
The Department of Justice won't confirm if more charges are forthcoming.
"At this point, we can't really predict what may or may not happen," said Dana Brueck, communications officer with the DOJ.
Whenever people make statements "against interest," as all the men in the gambling investigation did, their cooperation with law enforcement does not let them off the hook.
"What they said could be used against them at some point in time in some way," Brueck said.
An Argyle man and a Monroe man, both admitted gamblers, were summoned as witnesses to give testimony against Rast at a preliminary hearing in January before Judge James Beer. The DOJ also called to the witness stand an agent who testified to combing through gambling record-keeping documents seized during the investigation.
Conway's preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 9. The DOJ is still finalizing its list of witnesses, according to Brueck.
"No final list has been determined, but expect at least a couple of members of law enforcement to be called," she said.
The men made statements against their own interest that they bet on college basketball, college football and the NFL in 2006 and 2007, according to criminal complaints filed in Green County Circuit Court. The documents are available for the public to view at the Justice Center or online at doj.state.wi.us.
Their statements to investigators led to the arrests of two Monroe men, Werner J. Rast, 50, and Jeffrey J. Conway, 52, the alleged bookies of the operation.
Rast was arrested in December and faces 10 felony gambling charges. Conway was arrested this week on eight felony gambling charges.
The criminal complaints against Rast and Conway present evidence of a gambling ring that dated back to at least 2000, took in thousands of dollars weekly from betters with nicknames like "Thunder" and "Yogi" and used Conway's southside bar, Old Smokey's, as the exchange location for money won or owed.
Gamblers paid a 10 percent fee on lost bets, according to testimony in court.
Rast pleaded not guilty to all felony charges and has a jury trial scheduled for August.
The Department of Justice won't confirm if more charges are forthcoming.
"At this point, we can't really predict what may or may not happen," said Dana Brueck, communications officer with the DOJ.
Whenever people make statements "against interest," as all the men in the gambling investigation did, their cooperation with law enforcement does not let them off the hook.
"What they said could be used against them at some point in time in some way," Brueck said.
An Argyle man and a Monroe man, both admitted gamblers, were summoned as witnesses to give testimony against Rast at a preliminary hearing in January before Judge James Beer. The DOJ also called to the witness stand an agent who testified to combing through gambling record-keeping documents seized during the investigation.
Conway's preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 9. The DOJ is still finalizing its list of witnesses, according to Brueck.
"No final list has been determined, but expect at least a couple of members of law enforcement to be called," she said.