Source: Delay in Donaghy's sentencing

[clevfan]

Posted on Wed, Jan. 23, 2008


Source: Delay in Donaghy's sentencing

Phillynews.com

The sentencing of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, which was scheduled for Friday, likely will be postponed - again - according to a source familiar with the case.

Donaghy, a Delaware County native, originally was scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 9 after pleading guilty in August to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to transmit gambling information across state lines.

His sentencing in federal court in Brooklyn, N.Y., was postponed until Jan. 25 and is expected to be pushed back again, the source told the Daily News yesterday. A new date has not been set.

Donaghy's lawyer, John Lauro, did not return a phone message yesterday.

Donaghy is facing up to 25 years in prison and up to a $500,000 fine for providing confidential NBA information to bettors as part of a gambling scheme that prosecutors say was rooted in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Two of the crooked ref's alleged co-conspirators have been arraigned on wire-fraud charges.

Prosecutors say James Battista, of Phoenixville, and Thomas Martino, of Marcus Hook, paid Donaghy between $2,000 to $5,000 for each correct basketball "pick" he provided. If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in jail.

The Donaghy case led to a review of the NBA's gambling policy, which found that about half of the league's 56 referees had committed minor infractions, such as gambling in casinos. No criminal activity was uncovered, and commissioner David Stern decided not to punish any of the referees, saying the policy was outmoded and overly strict.