Poker site employee sentenced

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NEW YORK -- A former Internet poker company employee who returned to the United States from Costa Rica to face charges he helped process illegal gambling proceeds has been sentenced to a year and two months in prison.

Brent Beckley was sentenced Monday in federal court in Manhattan. Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan says prison time was necessary to send a message to others a casual attitude about breaking laws to help businesses has consequences.

Beckley told the judge he was "truly sorry" for thinking he could continue working in the online poker business after the United States changed its gambling laws.

Beckley was permitted to wait to report to prison until Oct. 1. He must forfeit $300,000 and pay a $3,000 fine.

The prosecution has forced three large online poker companies to shut down U.S. operations.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

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