5 Plead Guilty in Casino Cheating Conspiracy

Five defendants have pleaded guilty in a casino cheating conspiracy scheme and four of them have agreed to testify against two other co-defendants, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said Monday.

Two Oakland County residents — Roxanna Mckinney, 49, of Farmington Hills, and Hayward Stampley, 57 of West Bloomfield — are among the four who have agreed to testify against former card dealer Darryl Green , of Detroit,and Leah Smith, of Melvindale, are awaiting a pretrial hearing for their alleged roles in the scheme.

The scheme involved hundreds of dollars of individual payouts on lost bets during games of Texas Hold'em, according to Schuette’s office, which began investigating possible dealer/player collusion at Motor City Casino’s request.

Green, who was employed by the casino in 2014 when the alleged acts took place, is accused of conspiring with the six other defendants to make payouts to them on losing bets or simply not collect payment on lost bets.

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All six knew one another and associated together outside of the casino, Schuette’s office has said.

Co-defendant Calvin Pullom, 47, Detroit, will be sentenced June 7 on a two-year misdemeanor charge of attempted larceny in a building. He, along with Stampley, Mckinney and Davis, are cooperating with prosecutors.

Earl Railey, 65, of Detroit, pleaded guilty the following as a habitual offender:

• One court of conspiracy to cheat at a gambling game, a five-year felony;
• One count of gambling activities, a 10-year felony.
• One count of conspiracy to commit larceny in a building, a four year felony; and
• One count of larceny in a building, a four year felony.

Railey entered into a pre-sentencing agreement known as a Cobb’s agreement with 3rd Circuit Court Judge James R. Chylinski to serve 18 months probation, 20 days in jail, and pay all fines and court costs.

A Cobb’s agreement can only be requested by a defendant, and it permits a defendant to request an initial report of what their sentence will likely be if they plead guilty.

Railey’s sentencing is scheduled for June 24 before Chylinski.

Each faces the following charges:

• One count of conspiracy to cheat at a gambling game, a five-year felony;
• One count of gambling activities, a 10-year felony;
• One count of conspiracy to commit larceny in a building, a four year felony;
• One count of larceny in a building, a four year felony.

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