Arizona casinos now have a federal prosecutor whose only job is to pursue criminals who defraud and rob gaming houses.
A crime-prevention program run by Arizona’s tribal casinos, the Arizona U.S. Attorney’s Office and the State Department of Gaming is coordinating the effort, with the prosecutor’s salary paid from a state fund generated by casino earnings.
The new full-time casino specialist, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Brnovich, already is on the job. Among his cases are the indictments of two workers from Vee Quiva Casino in Laveen.
Jason C. Beal, 31, and Fernando Lechuga, 25, both of Phoenix, are expected to go on trial in January on federal charges that carry a maximum 20-year prison sentence and $1 million in fines. They’re accused of trying to steal $4,900 and $4,500 by creating fraudulent jackpot slips.
Brnovich was an assistant attorney general representing the state Gaming Department before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He’ll also handle robberies, employee thefts and any other crimes that take place in casinos.
Last year, Arizona’s tribal casinos were the third most lucrative in the country, generating about $2 billion in revenues.
Tribes give the state about $100,000 a year to run the crime prevention program.