Former deputy gets a prison sentence for an illegal gambling operation

The deputy wasn’t a newbie either, as he’s been serving since 1995. Sadly, more than 20 years of somewhat honest service is now flushed down the drain. The investigation shows that Fuleihan has been dabbling in illegal gambling shenanigans since 2014 - maybe even longer.

Along with his nine accomplices, the deputy was allowing others to bet on gambling machines and paid out their winnings “under the table”. Where did they get these gambling machines? Believe it or not, the deputy would seize the machines and hand them back to the illegal gambling organization for an x amount of money. This was a somewhat clever exchange; if only it weren’t done in such a foolish, uncareful way.

So how did someone so experienced in law and order manage to get caught? Well, in the most ridiculous way possible. Several members of the illegal gambling business make a rookie mistake and deposited almost $1,000,000 into their accounts. Fuleihan did try to use his skill and knowledge to dodge the law by informing other members of any mishaps that could lead to them getting caught.

The deputy would exchange phone calls with his accomplices, warning them of any search warrants, wiretaps, and raids. But apparently, he didn’t take much of his own advice, as he completely missed the fact that some of the phone calls were being recorded. A federal complaint also stated that Fuleihan was paid up to $1,500 per month to cover up for illegal gambling operations. A combination of major slip-ups quickly led to alarms getting triggered, prompting a full-blown investigation on the matter.

In April of 2020, the deputy was finally arrested and is now awaiting his one-year and 1-day sentence he will serve in North Carolina. After which, he will be on a supervised release for at least three years. And, of course, the rest of the illegal gambling crew is also getting hefty punishment for a series of crimes. Needless to say, the deputy no longer carries the title, as he was fired upon his arrest.

By the grace of God Himself, Fuleihan avoided a much harsher sentence. Back in 2020, it was reported that if he was convicted on the felony charge, he could spend up to ten years in prison and would have to pay $10,000 in fines. Luckily for the ex-deputy, he was let off with a much softer sentence, but it doesn’t seem like he will get his badge back anytime soon.