Online gambling operation busted in Texas

Mousey

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By Jamie Nash
Courier staff
06/18/2008

MAGNOLIA An investigation into an international illegal online gambling operation resulted in the arrest of three West Montgomery County residents Tuesday.

The Montgomery County Sheriffs Office Special Investigations Unit arrested Justin Franciscotty, 37, his wife Ana Franciscotty, 30, and his sister-in-law Stephanie Uselton, 25, at a home on Durango Creek Drive in the area of FM 1488 and Honea Egypt Road. They were charged with second-degree felony money laundering, punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. The charges resulted from the alleged receipt of large amounts of illegally obtained currency through the U.S. Postal Service.

SIU Sgt. David Womack said officers converged on the residence Tuesday morning with a search warrant.

Franciscottys only means of income was an online gambling operation based in Costa Rica, Womack said. While he could not reveal the source of the information that launched the investigation, Womack said federal authorities also were involved and provided crucial information.

The investigation revealed this residence was receiving large amounts of money through the postal service, Womack said. Once inside the residence, we found several packages from other parts of the United States, which at one point had several thousands of dollars inside.

In one room of the home, Womack said, there were multiple TVs connected to satellite service, which investigators theorized ...
 
Hail to the Police!

I feel safer already.

Ali G: Do you know how much the movie Lord of The Rings has made?

Book Publisher: No I don't really know.

Ali G: It's made literally, thousands of dollars.

Book Publisher (laughing): Well, I think it's made a bit more than that.

which at one point had several thousands of dollars inside.

Big money here people. Good thing the cops are so focused on bringing down these criminal masterminds.

The investigation revealed this residence was receiving large amounts of money through the postal service

Clearly, this is a case of dangerously sophisticated criminal masterminds who were experts at subverting the law.

Thank god that the police are out there protecting the integrity of our professional sports industry and protecting us from these dangerous gangsters.

Law enforcement doesn't mess around in Texas. They know that if big-money villains like this were allowed to corrupt our sporting events that great men like George W Bush might never have built his 260 million dollar stadium which the Rangers later acquired for free as part of the deal to stay in Texas.
The taxpayers and fans of Texas may not have had the opportunity to build that stadium for George Bush and his partners.

Thank you FBI and DEA and local sheriffs for giving us the freedom to not be able to make bad choices on the internet.
 
You know what creeps me out? This statement:
The investigation revealed this residence was receiving large amounts of money through the postal service,
 
Its certainly not just people off the streets, that is a bookmaking ring. I take it was actual cash in the packets, That seems pretty heavy stuff and not just someone gambling online. The postal service use the same scanners as the airports, they use it for all mail that is flightbound. cash wouldnt get identified, and no chance of a cheque. Just throw in a jacket with plenty of zips. They have been out to get them but I dont think that would exclusively be a US thing, they would do it in our country too.
 
These guys were too stupid to know they were being investigated. They were too stupid to figure out how to form an offshore corporation and have their offshore funds that never had to touch US soil wired there. They were too stupid apparently even to have their completely unecessary packages sent to a mail drop. And finally they were too stupid to run a US facing illegal gambling business without avoiding a paper trail that led right back to their front door.

These guys are world class idiots.

The story here to me is the cops and the FBI, DEA, NSA etc. wasting all this time and money on a non crime in the name of either A. protecting narrow interests with a lobby or B. (much worse) protecting the citizens of a free country from making choices.
 
From everything I read about Texas now a days... Sounds like the government of Texas has decided to copy the government of China and North Korea in how they deal with the people that live in Texas...

The government in Texas is telling people how to run their lives rather than the people in Texas telling the government how to run things...
 
The country is known as, and prides itself on the motto "Land of the Free" I was over there in the early 90's and realized that was not the case, it has just got tighter and tighter, More recently, the UIGEA, they cant enforce it but they can imprison you. You can be held if you wear a turban, or knows anyone who does. Human right are secondary now, our country is trying to emulate their system. This will continue to tighten until WW3. It's true, we are too dumb to learn from our past. If only politicians could get voted in on their merit and be allowed to do what they intended, the world would be a better place. They might uphold the UIGEA, but at least it would be for the right reasons
 
OK guys, let's don't bash Texas too much. I live here and happen to like it alot. :)

As far as busting a gambling ring, I would be willing to bet that the bookie wasn't too bright and had to have done something that alerted the Feds cause if you can stay under the radar you can pretty much do your business and nobody will bother you. I personally know one bookie and he's doing alright, although why anyone would want to book offshore, I'll never know. Too much juice, not enough pay. But I guess if you want to bet football etc. that's the way you have to go. Horses you can bet legally here.
 
I would be interested to know if the DoJ or whoever actually obtained some sort of warrant to seize and open this guy's mail, or if they used the Patriot Act (I am the DoJ, I want to see the guys mail, so I will open it *period*).
 
The US goverment should have had the IRS investigating a way to tax gambling instead of spending money and resources of the FBI and DOJ to bust them. Its not like our economy doesnt need all the help it can get we have been worrying about everyone else's country and let this one go to hell.
It's not over yet its gonna get worse before it gets better we just need hang on and ride it out and hopefully come out smarter and stronger. Good Luck everyone.

Cindie7777
 
OK guys, let's don't bash Texas too much. I live here and happen to like it alot. :)

As far as busting a gambling ring, I would be willing to bet that the bookie wasn't too bright and had to have done something that alerted the Feds cause if you can stay under the radar you can pretty much do your business and nobody will bother you. I personally know one bookie and he's doing alright, although why anyone would want to book offshore, I'll never know. Too much juice, not enough pay. But I guess if you want to bet football etc. that's the way you have to go. Horses you can bet legally here.

Dont take it too hard Annie. I live in the US and happen to like it alot too. Some people in other countries think it is their duty to talk garbage about the US. Wonder why?:)
 

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