Finally....a judge who understands

[Jeff]

Saturday, May 13, 2000

Robert Ruth
Dispatch Staff Reporter

If police arrested everyone who placed illegal bets, millions of Ohioans probably would have criminal
records, a federal judge said yesterday.

While presiding over a probation-revocation hearing, U.S. District Judge Joseph P. Kinneary said
gambling is a common practice. He then sentenced Mark W. Lewis, who once ran a multimillion-dollar
bookmaking operation in central Ohio, to three days in jail.

Lewis got in trouble with federal probation officers because he was charged last year in Franklin
County Common Pleas Court with using an intermediary to place bets and acquire drugs.

Kinneary imposed the probation after Lewis, 46, 447 Flintwood Dr., Gahanna, pleaded guilty in July
1998 to federal bookmaking and money-laundering charges. When arrested last year on the state
charges, Lewis had seven weeks left of federal probation.

During the hearing yesterday, R. William Meeks, Lewis' attorney, said his client admitted violating
probation. Lewis bought medicine to ease the pain of a sore back without a ************ and wagered
with a bookie "because he likes to bet on ballgames,'' Meeks said.

Meeks' remarks prompted Kinneary to predict that authorities "would possibly have to arrest everyone
in Ohio,'' if gambling investigations targeted bettors as well as bookies.

Such probes traditionally result in bookmakers, not their customers, being arrested.

Lewis told Kinneary that he has quit gambling.

This remark prompted Kinneary to ask: "Not even with a $350 million jackpot?'' The judge referred to
a recent eight-state lottery prize.

The three-day sentence means Lewis' federal probation period is over. He remains on five years
probation stemming from his conviction on state charges. Common Pleas Judge Daniel T. Hogan last
month imposed the probation after Lewis pleaded guilty to placing bets with an intermediary and
illegally possessing ************ drugs.

[Scott Landau]

Sounds like His Honor has laid the 11/10 a time or two!

[randyrohm]

I served in "Desert Storm" , used the GI bill to get a degree and hold a contributing position to our society. Politics these days try all our patience. A few years ago my best friend lost his after hours buisness to politicians that had it in for him. When the local ordinaance was past he was the only buisness effected. Some 20 country clubs in town continued to brownbag only he was selected to enforce the law. He had a lease with the option to buy the building for 330,000 and when he was done fighting city hall he was broke. the building sold for $500,000 and he was in debt. I tried to give him money and he knew he was beat, it was a sad scene. This great country I have served has a sad side effect. Politicians say what will get them relected rather than what is right. Also the best minds wouldn't dare go into politics when anybody ambition goes into buisness.

[LittaGuy]

As an Ohioan, it is wonderful that there is a judge in our state who actually uses common sense.

You know it is amazing hypocrisy. In Ohio, the state runs a gambling ring called the lotto. But unlike any casino or track or sporting event where the odds are only slightly against you, in Ohio, the odds are grossly against you. To hit a pick three straight, the odds are 1000-1. Yet, if you do it, you are paid at 500-1. Same for the Pick 4 (10,000-1 Paid at 5,000-1), Super Lotto (11.7 Million to 1, Paid at 4 million to 1) and the state is continually expanding the games and looking for new games. Yet, if someone wants to lay 11-10 on a football game, they are subject to arrest.

Gotta love the politicians.