Rick Tocchet gambling ring - punishment too severe?

quiksilver · 02-08-2006, 08:15 AM

So, we've all heard about Slick Rick Tocchet, and his $1.7million sports bookie business.

I heard that he may be prosecuted under RICO (organized crime) statutes and could spend 10-20 in the slammer for illegal gambling and money laundering, which, in my opinion, is far too severe.

Come on, we've all done some sports betting - office football pools, March Madness Brackets, etc. (albeit, we didn't organize a $1.7M gambling network).

I'd argue that a very, very heavy fine would befit such an act, with maybe a year jailnot 10-20 in the federal pen.

For goodness sakes, we have drug smugglers and violent criminals getting off for far less.Tocchet wasn't harming anybody (maybe evading some taxes, etc...) and I think he's about to get a punishment that doesn't match the act. That said, I still believe he's an idiot for doing what he did.

cmccauley1 · 02-08-2006, 08:22 AM

Quote:

That said, I still believe he's an idiot for doing what he did.

Yes, he is an idiot. He could very easily have built a legitimate business, yet he chose to do something he knew was illegal. We don't know that he hasn't hurt anyone. Illegal gambling is often accompanied by broken legs....

quiksilver · 02-08-2006, 08:34 AM

Seriously, with the advent of internet gambling, he could have bucked upsome doughand set up his own sportsbooking site and avoided this whole mess. It's not like he lacked the capital.

I guess that's my point. He was only one simple step away from not committing this crime, a step that he failed to take - akin to buying a car, procuring insurance, hopping in and driving without a license.

The feds called it "Operation Slapshot." Don't they have anything better to do? The Texas Border is leaking like a sieve, drug pushers are running wild, and they're worried about a has-been hockey star booking bets on football games.

cmccauley1 · 02-08-2006, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Don't they have anything better to do? The Texas Border is leaking like a sieve, drug pushers are running wild, and they're worried about a has-been hockey star booking bets on football games.

The job of the FBI is to investigate and prosecute crimes. That is exactly what they are doing. Perhaps if Slick Rick didn't start his organized crime ring, the FBI would have more time to prosecute other crimes. Don't blame the feds for doing their job, blame the criminals.
The border patrol handles the border patrolling, not the FBI for the most part. And short of buildling a giant wall, what more are they supposed to do? Perhaps, Bush should fund them a little better. Of course he won't since he is so pro corporation that he actually supports illegals having jobs in USA just to keep the costs down.

Tazman · 02-08-2006, 10:12 AM

As an almost convicted murderer used to say on his TV show... "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time!"

NY Bowhunter · 02-08-2006, 11:46 AM

Is nothing sacred? Wayne Gretzky of all peoplein the middle of the whole thing? [:'(][:'(] I think the whole thing is a little blown out of proportion. Actually I've always had a thing with the severity of gambling penalties. I dont' see it as the crime it's made out to be.

When it comes to games being fixed or point shaving that's one thing. But to want to lose or win the money you've earned on something that is unrelated to you? It's America isn't it?

quiksilver · 02-08-2006, 11:51 AM

Thanks NYBow - I have to agree with you on this one.

Apparently, we're in the minority here, but I surely don't think Tocchet's punishment will match the "crime" (I use that term loosely).

cmccauley - I understand how the hierarchy of government works, but my point was that we're about to drop hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to prosecute a bookie, when there are plenty of other areas that would benefit from those funds (i.e. - Border Patrol, enforcing drug laws, etc.)

By the way: Good call on Bush, big business and illegal aliens.

kevin1 · 02-08-2006, 11:58 AM

If they're threatening to invoke federal RICO then they don't consider them chump charges , RICO was specifically designed to sieze cash and assets stemming from organized criminal enterprises such as major drug dealers and mafiosi . By operating nationally he pretty much invited the feds to call it an organized criminal enterprise and as good as asked for the penalities prescribed for such an enterprise . As Quicksilver pointed out , all he to do was walk the legit path , the fact that he didn't speaks volumes . Does the punishment fit the crime ? Apparently so .

cmccauley1 · 02-08-2006, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Apparently, we're in the minority here, but I surely don't think Tocchet's punishment will match the "crime" (I use that term loosely).

I don't really see the harm in gambling either as a form of entertainment. It really shouldn't matter how I want to flush my money down the toilet. Personally, I can't stand gambling. My grandmother swears by it though. But, that being said, it IS a crime and Rick Tocchet was pretty stupid to start this and then launder the money. It probably doesn't make sense to send him to prison for a few decades when rapists and other violent offenders get months or a couple of years at best.

moosehunter21 · 02-08-2006, 05:34 PM

They are saying that the 1.7million could even be 3x more then originaly thought. Wayne Gretzkys wife is the one involved not Wayne.