Two men charged with stealing $1.6 million from a Lake Tahoe casino
over a five month period have been sentenced to prison.
Jason Lawrence, 29, of Topeka, Kan., was sentenced Monday to four to
10 years by Douglas County District Judge Michael Gibbons.
Lawrence’s co-defendant and brother-in-law, Stephen Johnson, 22, of
Dayton, was given two to eight years.
Both defendants had pleaded guilty to grand theft.
Authorities said Lawrence used his position as a pit boss at Harveys
Lake Tahoe to mark off chips given to Johnson on credit as being paid
back.
Johnson then cashed in the chips and split the proceeds with
Lawrence.
Deputy District Attorney Mark Jackson said investigators have only
recovered $424,000 of the stolen money.