Charles J. Simone, 24, of Liberty, pleaded guilty today in federal court for his part in an online gambling operation. How it worked: Simone gave his clients a 1-800 number and a Web site where they could place bets. (The phone line and the site were both operated in Costa Rica.) Then Simone would do things the old-fashioned way and pay out or collect money in person.
The operation started up in 2006. Simone says he didn't get involved in late 2008, and his involvement ended in spring 2009. He's the second guy to plead to being part of the gambling ring; the other was Michael V. Badalucco, 26.
Longtime readers will recall the feds have been fishing around this particular pond for a few months now. Mark Morris says 10 people, by one count, have been jailed over the past several months for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating online gambling.
