Drawing to a close

Last of three men to be sentenced in gambling ring

TRENTON, N.J. (AP ) -- The last of three men who ran an illegal sports gambling ring was to be sentenced Friday in state Superior Court in Mount Holly, drawing to a close a case that drew international headlines because of a link to hockey's biggest star.

James Ulmer, 41, the least known defendant in the case, faces six months to a year in county jail under a plea agreement for his role in the bookmaking operation with links to the National Hockey League, the Phoenix Coyotes and coach Wayne Gretzky.
The case became one of the biggest stories in hockey last year, when Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet, former state trooper James Harney and Ulmer were charged, because authorities said several of the bettors were people connected to the game.

The only name that was ever revealed among them was actress-model Janet Jones, who is married to Gretzky, and authorities said early on that neither she nor other bettors would be charged.

Jones threatened to file a $50 million defamation lawsuit against the state of New Jersey, but has not done so.

Tocchet was sentenced last week to two years' probation after pleading guilty to the same charges as Ulmer -- conspiracy and promoting gambling. He has been on leave from the Coyotes since the charges were announced in February 2006.

Tocchet's involvement in sports betting triggered an investigation within the National Hockey League, ordered by Commissioner Gary Bettman. Lawyer Robert Cleary, best known for prosecuting Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski, was hired to conduct the NHL's probe.

NHL spokeswoman Bernadette Mansur said Cleary has not completed the inquiry.

Tocchet's future in hockey has not been resolved.

The state police Organized Crime Bureau began investigating the ring in October 2005, after receiving information that a trooper might be involved.

In the 40 days prior to the filing of the charges, the ring handled $1.7 million in bets, including college football bowl games and the Super Bowl, authorities said.

Harney, who was forced to give up his badge, was sentenced earlier this month to five years in prison.

Ulmer, a businessman from the South Jersey town of Swedesboro, agreed in his plea deal to cooperate with authorities and forfeit about $45,000 in gambling proceeds.

The sentencing hearing was scheduled for 9 a.m. EDT before Superior Court Judge Thomas S. Smith Jr.

Associated Press

News Added: 24 August, 2007

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