Investigators: Illegal Gambling Operation Ran Out Of Private Bristol Club

A years-long investigation into the illegal gambling at a private club in Bristol Borough has led to charges being filed against several people Tuesday.

In court papers filed Tuesday in district court, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office filed charges after a statewide grand jury reviewed the case. St. Ann’s Athletic Association President Leo Plenski, 55, of Maple Shade, New Jersey; Vice President Nelson “Butch” Lucas, 68, of Bristol Borough; Treasurer Frederick Field, 72, of Bristol Borough; Dru L. Haggart, 61, of Tullytown; and the actual private club organization.

State law enforcement officials allege that an illegal gambling operation operated out of the St. Ann’s Athletic Association building in the 500 block of Wood Street for decades. The high-ranking members of the club were reported to be profiting from the proceeds of the operation.

A state police official testified before the grand jury that the profits totaled more than $1 million during a period of time that was not detailed.

LevittownNow.com first became aware of the investigation in early 2017 after a search warrant was executed in the borough but was unable to confirm enough details to publish an article. However, rumors of either a state or federal investigation into the St. Ann’s Athletic Association swirled throughout the riverfront town for months.

The statewide grand jury that recommended the charges on February 9 and supervising Judge  Anthony Sarcione approved the presentment on February 15. The court papers were then sealed until arrests were made Tuesday.

A special agent from the attorney general’s office and a Pennsylvania State Police liquor enforcement officer were undercover as part of the investigation between May 2016 and December 2016.

According to court papers, the lawmen watched and/or received payouts from six illegal gambling devices in the club. The payments allegedly came from bartenders like Haggert.

It was revealed during the grand jury that different video gambling devices had been inside the Wood Street club since 1984. The devices featured a “knock off” device that would have the credits move to zero, according to court papers.

Plenski, a former Bristol Borough Council member, said he was in charge of the machines with Field and Lucas. He further stated money from the gambling devices was collected daily and dumped in the club’s general fund.

Payouts from the machine were made from a bank bag kept in the club, authorities said.

Field reportedly told investigators he tracked all the of money from the devices and wrote the figures on paper. The illegal proceeds, he said, were then deposited in the bank with money legally received from beer and liquor sales, food sales, profits from the jukebox, and fundraisers.

When interviewed in 2016, Lucas told investigators he worked at the club since 1984 and has served as vice president for two years. He said bartenders recorded winnings and paid the patrons, adding money from the devices were collected regularly and put in the bank.

On December 14, 2017, investigators with sealed search warrants executed them at the bank where the St. Ann’s Athletic Association held two accounts. State officials ended up seizing $402,403.88 from the two bank accounts, according to court papers.

At the St. Ann’s Athletic Association Club building, investigators with sealed search warrants reported finding $91,848 throughout the building. Several of the bills were “marked” money used by the undercover agent and officer on December 13, 2016 at the gambling machines. In addition, alleged gambling records were seized.

A Pennsylvania State Police liquor enforcement officer testified before the grand jury that the gambling devices recovered from the club had made “significant profits over the time recorded within each device.” He estimated the profit to be about $1.1 million. He further said one of the gambling devices had made a profit of over $400,000 in just six months.

Plenski was elected to Council in 2011. He listed his occupation at the time as a “sergeant” with the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. Plenski is no longer on the Council, his family has been involved in a maintenance contract for sports fields in the borough.

LevittownNow.com was unable to contact the men accused by state law enforcement.

Plenski, Field, and Lucas were charged with numerous counts of corrupt organizations, criminal conspiracy, gambling devices, and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities.

Haggart was charged numerous counts of corrupt organizations, criminal conspiracy, and gambling devices.

St. Ann’s Athletic Association Club was charged with corrupt organizations, criminal conspiracy, gambling devices, and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities. With sites like https://www.slotsformoney.com/casinos/us/new-york/ one can be assured to have a great time gambling from wherever they might be.

All four men were arraigned Tuesday morning by Bensalem District Judge Michael Gallagher and released on $150,000 unsecured bail.

Reporter Erich Martin contributed to this story.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.