Shetler: $24,000 car was payoff for letter

Natalie Gott

Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000 | 10:19 a.m.

BATON ROUGE, La. - A lifelong friend of Edwin Edwards' son Stephen testified today that he bought the former governor a Chevrolet Suburban to try to keep an Indian tribe from opening a casino near Lake Charles.

Ricky Shetler, who is testifying under a plea agreement, said he bought the $24,000 vehicle on Nov. 15, 1994, and it was taken to Edwards' condominium in Vail, Colo.

Shetler was in his second day on the witness stand in the federal racketeering trial of Edwards, Stephen, and five others. They are accused of manipulating the riverboat casino licensing process to make money.

As governor, Edwards appointed the now-defunct Riverboat Gaming Commission, which granted preliminary approval for casino licenses, as well as the head of Louisiana State Police, which granted final license approval.

Shetler testified that Players' Lake Charles, for which he was a consultant, was to pay him $250,000 if he could get Edwards to write a letter that would prevent the Coushatta Indian tribe from opening a casino in Kinder.

Edwards did write the letter, but it had no legal effect. The tribe opened a casino in 1995.

Stephen Edwards had told Shetler that if Edwards was going to write the letter, the governor wanted a four-wheel drive Suburban for his condo in Colorado, Shetler testified.

Shetler said he did not get the money for the vehicle from Players, but borrowed it from the bank.

"Stephen said this was for his daddy, pertaining to the $250,000. Pertaining to the letter," Shetler said.

He said Stephen also said they could make an excuse for the car by putting it at the condominium.

Shetler testified Tuesday that he had no reason to have a vehicle in Vail, and visited there only once, with his son, Stephen Edwards and Stephen's three children.

Shetler said Stephen asked him to bring the signed title to him. Shetler said he signed it and left the buyer's name blank.

The title was notarized by Stephen Edwards; his sister Anna was listed as a witness.

At the start of Thursday's session, Shetler fought back tears when Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser how he felt about testifying against a friend.

He stammered, "Terrible. I feel terrible."

On Wednesday, tape recordings Shetler's testimony helped prosecutors detail an alleged shakedown of Players.

Shetler said he gave Stephen Edwards half of the money he received as a consultant for Players.

Shetler admitted taking part in an extortion plot in 1998, just before the Edwardses were indicted, and agreed to cooperate with authorities.

Shetler told the jury Wednesday that Players first offered him $25,000 a year, but Stephen Edwards considered that insulting.

"Those cheap Jews," Shetler quoted the younger Edwards as saying. Stephen Edwards then advised Shetler to tell Players executive John Brotherton: "Just because they have a certificate of approval, doesn't mean they can get a license."

Shortly after the offer, Stephen Edwards suggested to Players executives that they pay Shetler $300,000 - $600,000 if they wanted a monopoly in the Lake Charles area, Shetler testified.

Shetler said he was hired June 8, 1993, at $60,000 a year for three years, which was increased to $100,000 a year after Players opened its riverboat.

Jurors also heard Stephen Edwards, in his own words, describe their relationship with Players in a 1993 telephone conversation recorded by Shetler, who was recording all of his calls because he was going through a divorce.

Shetler had just informed Stephen Edwards that he was getting a $50,000 bonus from Players for scouting out potential casino sites.

"They got nothing to do with you being no consultant because you can't do a damn thing for them looking at no site. It is a way for them to pay you because they know that if they are paying you and you are happy, then you will keep me from f------ with them," Stephen Edwards said.

In that conversation, Shetler also told Stephen Edwards that a deal had been reached with Players so that all of Edwin Edwards' children would profit from the boat. David Edwards was to provide the juices that would be used for mixed drinks at the bar; Anna Edwards' company would provide some bar equipment, and Victoria Edwards would provide entertainment to Players, Shetler said.

Shetler said he himself was going to sell pizzas from his pizza restaurant in the casino concession stand.

Shetler said he often used Edwin Edwards' name to try and get more money from Players. "A number of times, I did it on specific things he (Stephen) told me he talked to his dad about."

Shetler's duties for Players included setting up meetings with influential people, but Stephen Edwards actually handled such matters for him.

"We both made the money on it and it was being split between us. I had neither the ability or the whereabouts to do these things," Shetler said.

Shetler also said Wednesday that he had told then-Players' president Howard Goldberg that for $2 million he could keep the tribe from opening a casino.

Stephen Edwards told Shetler to tell Players that a letter from the governor could hinder the tribe from opening the casino, Shetler said.

According to Shetler, Goldberg balked at the request for $2 million until he said, "Look, I'm just the messenger."

Goldberg later agreed to pay Shetler $250,000, as a $50,000 bonus and $200,000 loan, Shetler said.

Shetler said he had been friends with Stephen Edwards since they were in high school in Crowley in the 1970s.

They were still close friends as Edwin Edwards was taking office for his fourth term in 1992, Shetler said. he quoted Stephen as telling him then, "We're going to make a lot of money this term, this time around."