NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) — A former blackjack dealer at a Connecticut casino who helped a gambler cheat the facility out of more than $78,000 has avoided prison.
The Norwich Bulletin reports that 55-year-old Roy Mariano was sentenced Thursday to five years of probation. He pleaded guilty in February to second-degree larceny.
Authorities say the Mohegan Sun worker was approached in 2015 by Marlene Rivera, who said she would pay him if he gave her extra chips when she won.
Mariano, of New London, who had worked at the casino since it opened in 1996, told investigators he was unhappy about a reduction in his work hours and needed the extra money. Together they cheated the casino out of more than $78,000.
Mariano apologized in court.
Rivera was previously sentenced to a year in prison.
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)