Meskwaki man sentenced for theft from casino

Friday, February 13, 2009  

A member of the Meskwaki Nation of Iowa was sentenced to 10 years for stealing $480,000 from his tribe's casino.

Ryan Roberts, 42, blamed his gambling addiction on his theft from the Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel. His attorney asked to forgo prison time and order rehabilitation and restitution.

But Judge Nancy Baumgartner sentenced Roberts to the maximum in prison time, along with $480,000 in restitution. The county attorney said the theft was the largest in tribal history.

"It's outrageous and disrespectful to the Meskwaki community. If the judge granted the deferred judgment, there would be no jail time and his record would be swept clean," Assistant Tama County Attorney Michael Marquess told The Cedar Rapids Gazette.

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Meskwaki tribe member sentenced to 10 years for stealing from casino (The Cedar Rapids Gazette 2/13)