Two men from Rochester, New York, Louis Ferrari and Dominic Sprague, have finally been sentenced to 3 years of probation along with 10 months of home detention. The pair ran an illegal poker network and sports betting ring that reportedly generated over $10 million in the five years it operated.

The two men who operated an illegal poker and sports betting network that made over $10 million in five years have been sentenced to three years of probation along with ten months of home detention. Louis Ferrari II and Dominic Sprague were at the center of an underground gambling ring that operated both online and through a hidden poker room in Rochester.

The sentencing comes after an extensive investigation involving the New York State Police, federal agencies, and the Rochester PD. Ferrari and Sprague were arrested in February 2023, following a probe that began years earlier. The duo admitted to running an illegal gambling operation that generated approximately $2,000 per day.

The illegal operation

The pair's operation revolved around an illegal sports betting site with the name sport700.com, which catered to a network of gamblers, bringing in substantial daily profits. But beyond the online betting platform, Ferrari and Sprague also co-owned an illegal poker room located in an office complex on Blossom Road in Rochester. This poker room became a hub for high-stakes games, further fueling the financial success of their operation.

According to prosecutors, the duo had a group of co-defendants who played various roles in the operation. Joseph Lombardo, Anthony Amato, James Cilvetti, and Joseph Boscarino acted as reps or agents for the bookmaking network, recruiting clients and facilitating bets. Tommaso Sessa, on the other hand, managed the daily operations of the poker room, ensuring that the illegal gambling activities ran smoothly.

Ferrari, who also owned an excavating firm in Rochester, used his legitimate business to launder the illegal profits from the gambling operation. This allowed him and Sprague to maintain a facade of normalcy while reaping the benefits of their underground activities.

Law enforcement infiltration and the tip-off

The investigation into Ferrari and Sprague's illegal activities was extensive, with law enforcement officers going undercover as gamblers to gain access to the group. However, their cover was nearly blown when former New York State Police Sergeant Thomas J. Loewke, one of Ferrari's customers and a gambling addict, warned the defendants about the ongoing investigation.

Loewke had learned about the probe from an anonymous state trooper who accidentally saw an affidavit on the desk of a senior detective with Ferrari's name on the cover. The trooper had entered the office to do computer maintenance and told Loewke what he saw because of his gambling problem, hoping to prevent Loewke from getting into trouble.

Loewke's tip-off could have jeopardized the entire investigation. However, federal agents had wiretapped the phones of the suspects and intercepted a call between Sprague and Ferrari on the 2nd of January, 2021. During the call, Ferrari mentioned that someone from NYSP had approached him at the pizza bar of his brother and informed him that he was under investigation. Ferrari hinted that the informant was someone known as 'TJ,' which matched Loewke's initials.

Sentencing and fallout

Ferrari and Sprague's guilty pleas led to their sentencing in March of 2023. In addition to their probation and home detention, the court ordered Ferrari to forfeit $150,000 and Sprague $92,000. These financial penalties were intended to recover some of the illegal profits they had amassed over the years.

Meanwhile, Loewke faced his own legal consequences. He was convicted of obstruction of a law enforcement investigation and received a sentence of two years' probation in December of 2023. As part of his sentence, he was also ordered to pay a $4,000 fine and complete a hundred hours of community service. His actions not only compromised the investigation but also showed the vulnerabilities within law enforcement when officers become personally entangled in the very activities they are tasked with policing.

The bigger picture

The case of Ferrari and Sprague accentuates the challenges law enforcement faces in combating illegal gambling operations, particularly those that are deeply embedded in local communities. While legal sports betting has gained widespread acceptance across many different states, illegal operations continue to thrive in the shadows, often with connections to more extensive criminal networks.

The fact that such an operation could generate over $10 million in just five years demonstrates the lucrative nature of illegal gambling, even in the face of increasing regulation. For Ferrari and Sprague, the consequences of their actions have finally caught up with them, but their case serves as a reminder that the battle against illegal gambling is far from over.