Charles Oakley pleads no contest in Las Vegas casino betting case

Tue, Aug 7, 2018 (12:09 p.m.)

Charles Oakley

Charles Oakley

Charles Oakley pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge Tuesday morning, his attorney said. The deal with Las Vegas prosecutors eliminated the possibility of jail time following the former Knicks player's arrest a month ago at a casino.

Oakley was accused by Las Vegas authorities last month of attempting to change his wager "after the outcome was known," according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. That charge, a felony in Nevada, carried a potential jail sentence between one and six years and a fine of $10,000.

Oakley's no-contest plea "fully resolves this situation," Oakley's attorneys David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld said in a statement to Newsday. The arrest took place while Oakley was gambling at the Cosmopolitan, a casino located on the Las Vegas Strip.

A message left with the Clark County District Attorney's office, which prosecuted the case, was not immediately returned.

Oakley "appreciates the professionalism of the District Attorney and the Cosmopolitan in resolving this event," his attorneys said in their statement.

Oakley, 54, told Newsday last month following his arrest that he was not concerned about the ramifications of his arrest, noting he had retained "a dream team" of lawyers. "The truth always comes out, right?" Oakley said then. "The truth always comes out."

Oakley's run-in with Vegas authorities comes six months after a Manhattan judge officially dismissed the five misdemeanor charges he faced in relation to his scuffle with Madison Square Garden security guards during a Knicks game in February 2017.

Oakley also has an active federal defamation lawsuit against MSG and its executive chairman and chief executive officer James Dolan in response to that incident. The federal judge presiding over that case has yet to rule on MSG and Dolan's request to dismiss the lawsuit.

Back to top

SHARE