MONROE - Werner Rast, convicted in October of running a gambling ring in Monroe, is wanted for violating his probation, authorities confirmed Friday.
The Department of Corrections has issued an apprehension warrant for Rast, according to chief Fred Kelley.
"Right now, he's a fugitive," Kelley said. Police are investigating reports that Rast, 51, absconded to Costa Rica, possibly using a Swiss passport. Rast's U.S. passport was taken away after he was charged in November 2011 with 10 felony counts of commercial gambling.
In the last couple of weeks, Kelley said, Rast called up his probation agent and told the agent he wasn't going to be coming to his appointments because he had left the country.
"We're going to investigate how he did this. There is some confusion whether or not he has a Swiss passport. If he got a U.S. passport, there'd be some kind of fraud involved," Kelley said.
If Rast tries to go through U.S. customs now, his apprehension warrant will raise a red flag.
Jackie Guthrie, communications director at the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, confirmed Friday that Rast violated his probation and that her department "is working with local law enforcement to apprehend."
Dozens of locals turned out at Rast's sentencing hearing in October, many coming forward to speak in support of the Monroe native - and express their disdain for state gambling laws that allow casinos to operate but prosecute what they described as harmless sports betting by a group of local guys who had grown up together.
Judge James Beer sentenced Rast to 18 months of probation and fined him $10,000 - which is just half the amount Rast admitted netting annually in "juice" from gambling.
Monroe police began investigating Rast in late 2007, when they responded to his home for a domestic abuse report involving his then-wife. Later, with a search warrant, police seized evidence of a gambling operation, including ledgers, a computer, spreadsheets and financial documents.
Local police turned the investigation over to state agents, who eventually linked Rast and Jeffrey "Twitty" Conway, 53, Monroe, as ringleaders in a gambling operation that involved taking thousands of dollars in wagers on college basketball and pro football games from dozens of people, often under nicknames like "Yogi" or "Thunder," at a fee of 10 percent on all lost bets. Conway's bar, Old Smokey's, was named as the pick-up and drop-off location for money won or lost.
Conway faces eight similar gambling charges. His sentencing hearing is set for Jan. 30.
Many in the community have shown support for the men. At Rast's sentencing, a petition of support for Conway and Rast, signed by a couple hundred local residents, was presented to the court.
Correction: An earlier version of this story reported that Monroe police issued an apprehension warrant for Rast. In fact, the Department of Corrections issues such warrants. The Times regrets the error.
The Department of Corrections has issued an apprehension warrant for Rast, according to chief Fred Kelley.
"Right now, he's a fugitive," Kelley said. Police are investigating reports that Rast, 51, absconded to Costa Rica, possibly using a Swiss passport. Rast's U.S. passport was taken away after he was charged in November 2011 with 10 felony counts of commercial gambling.
In the last couple of weeks, Kelley said, Rast called up his probation agent and told the agent he wasn't going to be coming to his appointments because he had left the country.
"We're going to investigate how he did this. There is some confusion whether or not he has a Swiss passport. If he got a U.S. passport, there'd be some kind of fraud involved," Kelley said.
If Rast tries to go through U.S. customs now, his apprehension warrant will raise a red flag.
Jackie Guthrie, communications director at the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, confirmed Friday that Rast violated his probation and that her department "is working with local law enforcement to apprehend."
Dozens of locals turned out at Rast's sentencing hearing in October, many coming forward to speak in support of the Monroe native - and express their disdain for state gambling laws that allow casinos to operate but prosecute what they described as harmless sports betting by a group of local guys who had grown up together.
Judge James Beer sentenced Rast to 18 months of probation and fined him $10,000 - which is just half the amount Rast admitted netting annually in "juice" from gambling.
Monroe police began investigating Rast in late 2007, when they responded to his home for a domestic abuse report involving his then-wife. Later, with a search warrant, police seized evidence of a gambling operation, including ledgers, a computer, spreadsheets and financial documents.
Local police turned the investigation over to state agents, who eventually linked Rast and Jeffrey "Twitty" Conway, 53, Monroe, as ringleaders in a gambling operation that involved taking thousands of dollars in wagers on college basketball and pro football games from dozens of people, often under nicknames like "Yogi" or "Thunder," at a fee of 10 percent on all lost bets. Conway's bar, Old Smokey's, was named as the pick-up and drop-off location for money won or lost.
Conway faces eight similar gambling charges. His sentencing hearing is set for Jan. 30.
Many in the community have shown support for the men. At Rast's sentencing, a petition of support for Conway and Rast, signed by a couple hundred local residents, was presented to the court.
Correction: An earlier version of this story reported that Monroe police issued an apprehension warrant for Rast. In fact, the Department of Corrections issues such warrants. The Times regrets the error.