ANOTHER NY STATE ONLINE SPORTSBETTING PROSECUTION

Four residents of Utica City arraigned
 
Another online sportsbetting prosecution surfaced in New York State this week when four residents of Utica City were arraigned before Judge Michael L.Dwyer in a County court.
 
Richard Dorsagno Sr. (56), along with his wife, Susan Dorsagno (56), their son, Richard Dorsagno, Jr. (35), and John Swift (42) face a variety of charges that include felony charges of first-degree promoting gambling and first-degree possession of gambling records, but were not asked to plead.  The accuseds will appear in court again next week.
 
Prosecutors told the court that the charges followed a 21-month investigation into illegal sports gambling and bookmaking through Internet websites across the region. 
 
The investigations involved the use of phone taps and led to Police raids with search warrants on the suspects' homes and Dorsagno Sr.'s bar, Rick's Place in which Police confiscated several computers, two vehicles, gambling records and over $ 220000 in cash.
 
The State will allege that Swift, Dorsagno Sr. and others allegedly accepted bets on sporting events via internet websites, and that they profited from these activities.
 
Oneida County District Attorney, Scott McNamara noted that it isn’t a crime to make bets, but it is illegal for people to take bets if they are doing it for the purpose as a business to make money.