Former mayor arraigned
Turano stated the week before, that the involvement Garcia may have had in
the operation was placing infrequent bets. They are currently waiting for
the next court date to be set. The individual charges carry maximum
penalties of five to ten years in prison and additional fines of up to
$150,000. Garcia served as a state assemblyman in the 33rd District from
1993 to 2001. He also served as mayor of Union City from 1998 until he
resigned in October of 2000 following numerous public problems including a
state investigation into the practices of the now defunct Union City
Democratic Organization, which Garcia chaired, and a large tax increase in
his city. At that time, current Mayor Brian Stack had also brought forth a
movement asking for a recall election. Garcia is currently a lobbyist in
Trenton. "I certainly hope [his position] won't be in jeopardy, that would
be unfortunate," said Turano. Following the 16-month investigation, known as
"Operation Thunderbird," which was spearheaded by the Monmouth County
Prosecutor's Office and the New Jersey State Police, 47 members of the
organization were apprehended in the initial raid on March 28. Investigators
also had the cooperation and assistance of over 300 local, county, state,
and federal law enforcement agents and officers, including the Hudson County
Prosecutor's Office, in executing the arrests statewide. "The cooperation
between and among law enforcement agencies was paramount to the success in
dismantling this criminal organization," stated Monmouth County Prosecutor
Luis A. Valentin. The "Operation Thunderbird" investigation revealed that
members of the gambling enterprise were allegedly responsible for a running
sports gambling operation that served hundreds of bettors throughout New
Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The group allegedly operated from
Internet sites - managed from Costa Rica - and took bets through toll free
numbers. Between or about August 2005 to February 2007, bettors allegedly
placed over $500,000,000 worth of wages and lost over $35,000,000, or 7
percent of the total. Forty-seven arrests were made in the statewide raid on
March 28, including several individuals from throughout Hudson County in
North Bergen, Hoboken, and Secaucus. Authorities also seized over $2,000,000
in cash, an excess of $300,000 in frozen bank accounts, 14 vehicles, and one
28 foot Thunderbird Yacht Model 280S named "Risky Business" worth $130,000.
There was also a forfeiture order placed on a bay-front estate worth several
million dollars. In addition to Garcia's recent arrest, three other
individuals from New Jersey and New York were also arrested in connection
with the ongoing investigation after the initial raid. "These additional
arrests further represent our commitment to apprehend all identified agents
of this illegal enterprise and bring them to justice," stated Valentin.
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