Walters, associates indicted for betting activities

Friday, Oct. 16, 1998 | 10:42 a.m.

Walters and three of his associates - Daniel Pray of Logandale, James Hanley of Las Vegas, and John Tognino of New York - were charged with conspiracy and engaging in unlawful transactions involving monetary instruments, the Las Vegas Sun reported.

Walters is described by law enforcement authorities as one of the county's biggest gamblers.

Deputy Attorney General David Thompson, who spearheaded the investigation, presented 79 exhibits along with numerous witnesses to the grand jury to obtain the indictment.

The exhibits include computer records, financial records from the Horseshoe Club hotel-casino, and reports of the contents of safe deposit boxes at five casinos - the Horseshoe, Bally's, Mirage, Las Vegas Hilton and Stardust.

Attorney Richard Wright, who represents Walters, could not be reached for comment.

In May, Wright was able to persuade a judge to dismiss a similar indictment against Walters before it was made public.

Last month, the Clark County Commission, in a controversial vote, awarded Walters a lease to develop a 155-acre public golf course on prime Strip land south of Russell Road.

Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates said she didn't know whether the indictment would have an impact on last month's vote.

"It certainly makes you want to take a second look at things," she said. "We were never officially informed that he was under investigation."