Man pleads not guilty to commercial gambling

By RACHEL MCCORMICK rmccormick@journalsentinel.com, Journal Sentinel

Thursday, August 5, 2004

A 49-year-old Greendale man who was accused of running a gambling operation in his home pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony charges of commercial gambling.

Donald E. Leone was also charged late Tuesday with bail jumping, a felony, and possession of cocaine, a misdemeanor. If convicted on all charges, Leone could face up to 10 1/2 years in prison. A preliminary court date was set for Aug. 13, and Leone was released on a signature bond.

Milwaukee County Circuit Court records show that Leone was charged July 1 with an unrelated felony of filing a fraudulent insurance claim. Leone violated the terms of his bond release in that case, which is why the district attorney filed bail jumping charges, records indicate. Leone is expected in court on the fraud charge Wednesday.

Leone and six other men and a woman were arrested July 25 in a home in the 6300 block of Riverdale Lane on allegations of participating in an illegal gambling game.

According to the criminal complaint, when police entered the residence they found more than $8,000 in cash, poker chips, a card table, cocaine and a handgun.

The criminal complaint states that Greendale police found individuals playing Texas hold 'em, a type of poker game popular in professional tournaments shown on cable television. There was also a professional dealer, the complaint says.

The players who were arrested said they paid between $100 to $200 to play a game, the complaint says, with Leone receiving a cut of the money. The dealer said she made about $300 a night, according to the complaint.

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