San Antonio Poker Player Charged in Probe

San Antonio's most famous poker player has been charged with gambling promotion, which could result in him losing most of the nearly $3 million he won during the World Series of Poker.

Four men associated with Richard Henry Lee, including his son-in-law, were also charged Thursday with the same misdemeanor offense, according to documents filed by District Attorney Susan Reed's office. The charges are the culmination of a nearly 14-month investigation by San Antonio police into Lee's online gambling operation, prosecutors say.

The charges are a precursor to plea deals that would require at least four of the men to forfeit 80 percent of money police detectives seized during the probe, which largely targeted Lee over allegations that he headed the bookmaking operation.

Lee, 56, became a household name here in August 2006 after placing sixth in the World Series of Poker's main event in Las Vegas - the world's most prestigious poker tournament. During the tournament, he was featured wearing a shirt with "San Antonio" emblazoned across the front.

But court and police records quote a "credible source" who says Lee was known behind the scenes as "The Chinaman" and "the biggest bookie" in San Antonio, linked to a Web site that allowed people to place bets.

The Web site, www.betbsbnow.com, pretended to be offshore but was actually a local operation that took bets and collected and paid proceeds from illegal gambling and sports booking, court records say. Police contend Lee's home in Shavano Park was the "nerve center" of the operation.

Besides Lee, Reed's office charged Lee's son-in-law, Lawrence "Larry" Joseph Davenport, 30; Matthew Colburn Winslow, 57; Marco De Carlo Hernandez, 31; and Daniel Ortiz, 30; with gambling promotion, which is punishable by up to a year in jail, a fine of $4,000 or both. They are tentatively scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 7 before County Court 4 Judge Sarah H. Garrahan-Moulder, records show.

Separately, Reed's office had filed civil forfeiture proceedings to try and keep cash, property and other items seized in a search of Lee's home and the residences of the other suspects.

The deals in the works are expected to let each of the defendants avoid jail time and potential felony prosecution. In exchange, four of the defendants would forfeit 80 percent of the money taken from them. Most or all of the personal property and vehicles seized, however, would be returned. The deals could be forthcoming as soon as next week.

Lee's lead lawyer, Jimmy Parks Jr., was not willing Friday to speak freely about the developments.

"We're certainly aware the charges have been filed," Parks said. "There's a lot of activity on the case that I just can't comment on."

Under the plea bargain confirmed by the Express-News, Lee stands to lose the most.

Police detectives seized from Lee almost $2.7 million plus a 2005 Lexus LX470, a 2005 Mercedes S430, a 2004 Toyota 4Runner, numerous high-end designer handbags, electronics, watches, jewelry, sports memorabilia and a currency counter. In court records, Reed's office alleges the money is proceeds from the on-line bookmaking, but Lee's lawyers contend the nearly $2.7 million is what he won during the poker tournament at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Officers also took $221,407 from Ortiz, $113,893 from Winslow and $14,382 from Davenport, court forfeiture paperwork shows. A search of records shows no forfeiture proceedings against anything taken from Hernandez.

"We had been in negotiations with the District Attorney for some number of months," said Davenport's lawyer, Van Hilley.

Hilley confirmed that deals in the works involve an 80/20 split.

"That's what she wants and that's what she's going to get; it looks like it to me," Hilley said of Reed. "They've been pretty adamant about what they want from the beginning."

Ortiz's lawyer, Johnny E. Cisneros, said he was unaware the charges had been filed, but acknowledged some talks had been ongoing about the money.

"The only thing I can say is Daniel is a great, great guy, a wonderful man," Cisneros said. "Some negotiations are in progress, however, we haven't officially settled on a figure yet."

Winslow's attorney, John Convery, was out of the country and unavailable for comment.

(Source: MySA.com... Click for Full Article)

More Poker News Articles

Moon and Cada Heads-Up, Ivey 7th at WSOP Main Event Final Table
12am Sun Nov 8th, 2009

After a marathon session at the most esteemed table in the poker world, a 21-year-old and a logger are set to go one-on-one for the World Series of Poker Main Event bracelet.

PokerStars Launches New UK and Ireland Poker Tour
12am Wed Nov 4th, 2009

PokerStars.com has announced the start of a new poker tour with stops throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. The UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) will kick off in Galway, Ireland in mid-December, and the first event in the UK will be held in Manchester in February.

Peerless Media Agrees to Purchase World Poker Tour Enterprises
12am Mon Nov 2nd, 2009

According to a Monday press release, WPT Enterprises Inc., mothership of the World Poker Tour, is now the rightful property of Peerless Media, Ltd., subsidiary of online giant PartyGaming.

Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho Hit the Amazing Race Rail
12am Mon Nov 2nd, 2009

After surviving six legs of the Amazing Race by the skin of their teeth, poker pros Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho were finally eliminated in the CBS reality show's most recently aired episode. Michelle and Ho, the last women standing in the 2008 and 2007 World Series of Poker Main Events, gave reality television fans another chance to watch poker personalities compete away from the felt. Annie Duke garnered quite a following earlier in the year on another reality show competition, NBC's Celebrity Apprentice.

Isaac Baron Dominates Caesars Classic Main Event
12am Sat Oct 31st, 2009

Isaac "westmenloAA" Baron ran over the final table of the Caesars Palace Classic $5,000 Main Event, amassing a huge chip lead and going home with the $246,928 first prize. It took two long days to narrow the 162-person field to the final ten. A very high percentage of the entrants were recognizable tournament circuit players, and unsurprisingly, the stacked field produced a tough final table lineup.

Tonight- ESPN shows Day Before WSOP Main Event Final Nine are Set- Oct 27
12am Tue Oct 27th, 2009

Tonight (Oct. 27) at 9pm ET, ESPN will broadcast highlights of action on the day before the Final Table of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event was set. Only 27 players remain when this one-hour show begins.

Frenchman Wins PokerStars EPT Warsaw Poker Tourney
12am Mon Oct 26th, 2009

At the PokerStars European Poker Tour Warsaw No Limit Texas Hold'em main event that wrapped up yesterday, French businessman Christophe Benzimra finished first taking home 358,644 Euros in prize money, while Italian poker pro Alfio Battisti finished second in the tournament.

Vedes Conquers WPT Festa al Lago Final Table
12am Mon Oct 26th, 2009

Tommy Vedes is the WPT's newest champion! Vedes outlasted 274 players to win the Festa al Lago title and the $1,218,225 first prize. Freddy Deeb, who began the final table with the chip lead, hoped to win his third WPT title and tie Gus Hansen's record. Instead, Deeb was forced to settle for 4th place, leaving room for a new WPT champ. Click here for in-depth coverage of the action and photos from the final table.

Will Hungarians Get Taxed on Poker Soon?
12am Mon Oct 26th, 2009

Hungarian lawmakers have plans to tax poker winnings and regulate clubs to generate much-needed revenues during the country's worst economic crisis since the end of communism, reports Germany's Deutsche Weele.

Freddy Deeb Leads World Poker Tour Final Table
12am Sun Oct 25th, 2009

The WPT Festa al Lago Main Event is down to the final six after five tough days of play. Two-time WPT champion Freddy Deeb brings the chip lead along with the benefit of his under-the-lights experience into Monday's televised final table. Deeb previously won the WPT Season III Aruba Poker Classic and the Season VII Celebrity Invitational. He also owns two World Series bracelets and has amassed over $6 million in tournament winnings. A win on Monday would add $1,218,225 to that total. Click here for photos from the felt and final table chip counts.