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Campbell candidate regrets actions that led to his conviction
By jeanne starmack
campbell
The challenger in the race for council president says he regrets his actions that led to a public-gaming conviction in 2001.
George Levendis, who is challenging Juanita Rich for the post in the Tuesday election, told The Vindicator this week he made a mistake.
“I made a mistake and learned a lesson,” said Levendis, 44, who was 32 at the time of his conviction.
Levendis was charged with two counts of bookmaking and two counts of possession of criminal tools — a cellphone — in February 2001, according to Campbell Municipal Court records.
Records indicate he “knowingly engaged in bookmaking” Jan. 6 and Jan. 14 that year.
The original police report that describes the complaint against him cannot be located. Levendis said he was taking bets on NFL games.
According to court records, he pleaded no contest in April 2001 to two counts of public gaming and one count of possession of criminal tools and was found guilty. He paid $5,000 to the Campbell Police Department Law Enforcement Trust Fund.
Levendis is making his first bid for public office against Rich, who was appointed council president in January when Bill VanSuch left that post to become mayor after the resignation of George Krinos.