Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced that Donald R. Codey Jr., former president and general manager of Freehold Raceway Park, was sentenced today for stealing $3,045 in raceway promotional vouchers and assisting two patrons to cash more than $1.3 million in bad checks at the track.
According to Director Taylor, Codey, 65, of Orange, was sentenced to a five-year term of probation by Superior Court Judge Thomas F. Scully in Monmouth County. Codey is jointly and severally liable with two co-defendants for paying a total of $902,749 in restitution to the corporate owner of Freehold Raceway related to the bad checks. Judge Scully ordered that, as a condition of the probation, Codey must not engage in any gambling activities and must be professionally evaluated to determine whether he has a gambling problem.
Codey pleaded guilty on Aug. 20 to third-degree theft by unlawful taking for the theft of vouchers. Codey admitted that he stole 16 “Mystery Vouchers” worth a total of $3,045. Mystery Vouchers were sent by Freehold Raceway to track patrons and patrons of the Favorites off-track wagering site in Toms River. Each voucher was issued to be redeemable for a “mystery” amount, ranging from $2 to $5,000, if taken to the Favorites site on President’s Day, Feb. 16, 2009, and used to gamble. Codey used the vouchers to gamble at Favorites that day.
Codey is the brother of New Jersey State Senator Richard Codey.
