Man allowed to play poker to avoid jail

[gametime74]

Man allowed to play poker to avoid jail






In a bizarre turn of events, a fifty-nine-year old American professional poker player has been allowed to play poker to avoid serving a jail sentence for fraud.

In a bizarre turn of events, a fifty-nine-year old American professional poker player has been allowed to play poker to avoid serving a jail sentence for fraud.

Samuel McMaster Junior plead guilty to 26 felony counts of defrauding the elderly at a New Mexico court, but in a unprecedented ruling the judge will now allow McMaster to travel outside the state to play poker as part of a plea deal.

McMaster was convicted of scamming his victims of $444,000 and it is this money that the New Mexico judge has now given him a chance to win back. McMaster's final sentencing has been postponed for six months while he makes the effort of paying back monthly installments of $7,500, money which is to come directly from his winnings at the tables. If he fails a single installment, McMaster will in turn be sentenced immediately and could face as much as 12 years of prison.

"We do have a unusual case here where we are agreeing to delay sentencing for a period of time to allow Mr. McMaster to set a track record as to whether or not he can pay back $400.000 in restitution" said New Mexico state prosecutor Phylis H. Bowman and added:

"There is nothing to indicate that he is a violent threat to society, so based upon those factors, that's what determines conditions of release".

McMaster himself has had no comments to the unusual deal.

[Mpettit2]

LOL... WOW Im speechless......

What a joke... Hope that guy runs good or its gonna be 12 years in the slammer.

What kind of idiot judge would even allow this... this guy is going to either win it back (which if he owes ppl 450k hes not winning hes losing.) or hes going to scam different ppl inside and out the poker community for 6 months then flea and it will be tax dollars paying to capture this idiot would he should just have to serve his time right now.

[fernandezale]

lol nice sentence ...

[Drywallman3]

I know what I will tell the judge to avoid going to prison now

[suncitydm]

LOLOLOLOL HOPEFULLY HE DOSENT HAVE A DOWNSWING. he will b in jail and he will only have to woory about dropping the soap

[RWPFhero]

Definitely would take playing poker over jail time! Who wouldn't?

[Ciordy]

I heard this before , it`s the same story or a new one ?

[ddavey25]

i hope he gets shot in the face....he should do his 12 years or get murdered slowly. sick of criminals getting hand outs.

[wowfold]

thats unreal what has the world come to where felonys are able to play poker and if they win they dont have to go to jail

[Paisleysky]

Well he can't possibly be a person of color. And 2 he has a fucking GREAT lawyer!