WASHINGTON, Pa.,None — A theft trial has been postponed for one of two men accused of swindling a Washington County casino out of almost $430,000 by exploiting a software glitch.
Jury selection was scheduled to begin Monday in the trial of former Swissvale police Officer Kerry Laverde and his roommate, Andre Nestor. They each face more than 650 charges including theft, receiving stolen property and conspiracy.
The trial was postponed Monday for Nestor after the FBI arrested him on charges filed in Las Vegas. There is no word on what those charges stem from.
Laverde pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors later on Monday. He was sentenced to three years probation.
Authorities said Nestor persuaded an employee at the Meadows Racetrack and Casino to change a setting that enabled them to receive jackpots in a high-bet slot machine. Investigators said they also used a series of keystrokes that caused the machine not to record the higher payouts.
A third man charged in the scheme pleaded guilty Wednesday and has cooperated with investigators.
"What they did here was not a manipulation of the machine in terms of getting into the machine and changing something, somebody basically told them how to outwit the machine," said Laverde's attorney Patrick Thomassey.
"At the end of the day we had a person who stole, who robbed a casino if you will. They weren't his monies and they are being returned. It could be a grocery store, it could be any other entity, you shouldn't be stealing," said Sean Sullivan, Meadows Casino general manager.
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