Division of Gaming Enforcement
John J. Farmer, Jr., Attorney General
John Peter Suarez, Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 29, 2001

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Katherine Lyons (609) 292-4791

State Police Arrest Two Security Personnel For $34,000 Theft

ATLANTIC CITY -- Attorney General John J. Farmer, Jr. and Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) Director John Peter Suarez today announced the arrest of two Tropicana security guards charged with taking $34, 248 in cash from table game drop boxes at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino.

Attorney General Farmer said that Glen Longcrier, 43, of Pleasantville, and Daniel Lugo, 40, of Ventnor, were arrested Sunday morning by State Police assigned to DGE after they allegedly took money from table game drop boxes and placed it in their pockets. Money collected at table games is placed in secure drop boxes. The boxes are then locked into trolleys for transport by security personnel to the count rooms. The State Police investigation revealed that the men compromised the locked boxes while carrying out this procedure.

State Police assigned to DGE arrested the men on the casino floor and recovered $34, 248. Longcrier and Lugo were charged with Theft by Unlawful Taking (third degree). If convicted, the men face up to five years in state prison and fines up to $75,000.

Director Suarez said that the DGE will move to immediately suspend Longcrier and Lugo's licenses and will seek revocation if they are convicted. Longcrier, who is a security shift supervisor, holds a casino key employee license and Lugo, who is a security officer, holds a casino employee license.

An arrest is based on probable cause and all defendants are presumed innocent until or unless proven guilty.

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