Used-car dealer's luck runs out at church fest

[clevfan]

Used-car dealer's luck runs out at church fest

June 10, 2008
By Bruce Cadwallader
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

When the king of diamonds and the ace of spades kept coming up winners in Roland "Rico" Chapa's blackjack hands last year, a dealer at the church festival called in the pit boss.

Other players at the table accused Chapa, a 67-year-old used-car dealer, of palming the cards from the deck.

Now, Chapa's 30-year lucky streak as a self-described bookmaker and "gangster" might be over after a Franklin County jury convicted him of cheating, a felony in Ohio for those like Chapa with a previous gambling conviction or someone who tries to corrupt the outcome of a bet of more than $500.

Money changed hands so fast at the St. Timothy Church fundraiser on July 14 that no one remembers how many hands Chapa played before pit boss Rob Gardner called him a cheat, said Assistant County Prosecutor Amanda Lowe.

Then festival organizers called authorities.

Lowe called five witnesses on Friday to prove the rarely-used criminal code before Common Pleas Judge Richard S. Sheward. One said a two of spades dropped from Chapa's slacks when he stood up to empty his pockets.

Chapa testified that he is a diabetic who drank too much that night and was left behind by two buddies. He said he walked into the festival with $650 and left with $450.

"I actually lost money that night. I told them (deputies) if the Catholics wanted more money, I'd have given them the $400 I had and kept $50 for a cab," he said in an interview before the verdict.

Chapa said sheriff's detectives have been after him for 10 years.

"They wanted me to rat out other bookmakers, and I don't know any."

Instead of arresting him, deputies called a cab and sent Chapa packing.

Chapa, who wore a white suit, black shirt and gold alligator belt buckle, seemed relaxed about his chances. When asked how long he has gambled, he replied, "Can I take the Fifth on that?"

It took a jury less than 30 minutes to convict him yesterday of cheating and possession of criminal tools. Sheward set sentencing for Aug. 6; Chapa faces up to two years in prison for the hustle. His daughter Katrina said authorities have harassed Chapa for more than 30 years.

"We will immediately appeal this," she said.

Defense attorney Lewis T. Dye told jurors that his client was too drunk to cheat.

"They waited six months after his last arrest to bring this case," said Dye, whose father has represented Chapa in earlier gambling cases.

Chapa's apartment at 6998 Sawmill Village Dr. on the Northwest Side was raided in 2007 as a sports bookmaking operation, the sheriff's office says. He agreed to plead to one count of gambling.

According to a search warrant, an investigation found that Chapa met customers at area sports bars and offered to take their bets for a 10 percent service charge.

Bets also were placed at the car lot where Chapa works.

An affidavit used to obtain the warrant said Chapa told a detective that he had been a bookmaker and "gangster" for more than 30 years.

[clevfan]

LOL at this guy calling himself a gangster:

[Rogthedodger]

Why not just rob the collection plate, geesh.

[clevfan]

Gambler to perform his penance behind bars
Man caught palming cards at church festival to serve six months

Thursday, August 7, 2008 3:28 AM
By Bruce Cadwallader

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A lifelong gambler caught palming cards at a church festival asked yesterday to pay his $5,000 fine to the church as penance.

A judge, though intrigued by the idea, sent him to jail for six months.

Roland "Rico" Chapa, 68, was found guilty in June of felony cheating and possession of a criminal tool -- the king of diamonds that kept showing up in his hand at the St. Timothy Church fundraiser in July 2007.

In an attempt to avoid jail time, Chapa's attorneys asked for community service, house arrest, even a donation to the church.

"My first thought was to fine him $5,000 and have him pay it to the church, but I don't think I can legally do that," said Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Richard S. Sheward.

"And I can't order restitution because I don't have a solid number on the ill-gotten gains he received. If there is some way to accomplish that, I'm open to it."

Assistant Prosecutor Amanda Lowe said later that she would agree to the money being given to St. Timothy.

Sheward suspended a 22-month prison term and put Chapa on three years of probation but sent him from court directly to the county jail.

His two grown daughters, who didn't expect jail time, ran screaming from the courtroom. They said they would appeal the verdict.

"I apologize to the Catholic Church if I've done anything wrong," Chapa said.

Defense attorneys Samuel Weiner and Lewis T. Dye said Chapa wasn't a good candidate for incarceration, because he has diabetes and high blood pressure.

Volunteer dealers at the church festival accused Chapa, who was drunk, of cheating at blackjack. One said a two of spades dropped from his slacks when he stood up.

Jurors found him guilty in less than 30 minutes after a two-day trial.

In an interview after the trial, Chapa said he lost money that night and had only $450 when deputies arrived. He told deputies he was a lifelong bookmaker and a gangster.

His apartment on Sawmill Village Drive on the Northwest Side was raided as a sports bookmaking operation last year. He agreed to plead guilty to one count of gambling but did not serve jail time.

Ohio law makes cheating a felony for those with a previous gambling conviction.