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Roger Harvey/Eyewitness News
Indianapolis, April 30 - Fred Draper, a suspended Indiana State University professor, ran from the City-County building after admitting he stole money from bingo halls.
Draper wouldn't talk to the media, but in court he pleaded guilty to a felony and told the judge he will pay $400,000 in restitution for his role in diverting millions of dollars from Marion County bingo halls between 1997 and 2001.
Another person, prosecutors say, was a ringleader is Willie Ryan, a retired Eli Lilly and Company accountant. Ryan was in court last June. He pleaded guilty to a felony charge and agreed to pay $300,000 in restitution.
Ryan's lawyer, Dennis Lopes, says his client didn't spend the money on himself. "We are not talking about buying expensive cars or living expensively. He worked every day, then he retired from work and he's got to go back to work since his retirement money is gone and he's going to have to pay all this money back."
Ryan avoided jail time after crying in court, telling the judge he made a mistake and it ruined his career.
Lopes says Ryan was not the mastermind of the bingo scam. "They knew it was wrong and I am not justifying it, but it wasn't something he came up with on his own, no."
Ryan told the judge he was first approached about taking bingo profits by Michael Frechette.
Frechette agreed to repay $1 million and could spend up to eight years in prison. Eight others have admitted their involvement as well; including convicted felon Howard Bueche, former Indianapolis firefighter Kenneth Dotson, former Marion County reserve deputy Steve Knight, former Indianapolis Police Officer Jonathan Wilson and his wife Donna.
Willie Ryan, who was sentenced Wednesday, will be on probation for two years and pay $300,000 in restitution. He also will perform 200 hours of community service work.
Fred Draper will receive his sentence on May 9th.
