Casino Theft Spree Ends in 30-Year Sentence After $714K Embezzled
A former casino worker will spend up to three decades in prison after embezzling over $714,713 from various gaming facilities.
Thomas Tonar was finally caught in June after surveillance footage showed the 61-year-old stealing cash from the offices at Dotty’s Casino in Sparks, Nevada. The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office included an image of the culprit carrying out the crime in its post-sentencing press release.
Tonar had committed similar thefts at five other Dotty’s locations, which led to the original police report in June. The report didn’t explain how he accessed these areas where large bundles of cash were lying about.
Lammed It Out of Nevada, Caught in California
Police had to track Tonar over state lines to apprehend him, as he fled Nevada after hearing that the authorities were on his trail. Law enforcement eventually tracked him down at a motel room in Sacramento. Officers recovered over $677,069 of the stolen money and three guns.
The Sun Valley resident was found guilty of six counts of felony embezzlement, which included four counts of embezzlement of $100,000 or more, carrying a sentence of 6-20 years concurrent. There was also a consecutive sentence of 2-10 years for two embezzlement counts of under $100,000.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Amos Stege explained that greed was the main motive for this crime.
Some people on social media questioned the length of the prison sentence. One commenter on KOLO 8 News Now’s Facebook post wondered how murderers sometimes get less time in prison.
Dotty’s Casino, where Tonar worked, is a popular chain of slot machine parlors found around Nevada, Montana, and Oregon.
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