Former Amerk Paetsch accepts plea in Marina gambling

Former Rochester Americans and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Nathan Paetsch faces eight months home detention and must pay the U.S. government $265,000 as punishment for his role in an illegal gambling operation that was shut down last summer.

Paetsch, 32, pleaded guilty on Monday morning to two charges relating to an off-shore gambling enterprise run out of The Marina Restaurant and Bar in Charlotte.

Paetsch was accused by the government of recruiting hockey players and others to place bets, and also of aiding in the transmission of wagering information as well as collection of debts, according to papers read this morning in U.S. District Court in Rochester before Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.

He agreed to plead guilty to two charges: transmission of wagering information and structuring a bank transaction to evade reporting requirements (all cash transactions in excess of $10,000 must be reported by banks).

Because of his cooperation and because he has no criminal record, federal sentencing guidelines allow the plea arrangement of the 8-month home detention and 400 hours of community service.

Sentencing will be Aug. 31 for the Spencerport resident.

He will be allowed to continue playing hockey, his attorney, David R. Morabito said.

Mark Ruff, Joseph Ruff and Paul Borrelli have already been sentenced or reached plea deals for illegal gambling, money laundering and other charges in connection to the case.

Mark Ruff was sentenced in March to nine years in federal prison. His brother, Joseph, was given a 41-month sentence in April. Borrelli accepted a plea deal in April that included eight months home confinement and he must satisfy a $1.2 million judgment.

Paetsch's punishment was not nearly as severe "because the government understood his conduct was minimal compared to the others involved," Morabito said.

"They understand he's a terrific person. The U.S. Attorney's Office has been very reasonable."

Former Amerks and Sabres teammate Thomas Vanek was one of the players who placed bets on sports with the group and lost well over $1 million. The amount lost differs depending upon who speaks.

Morabito said Paetsch had no involvement with Vanek's betting. He also said that in more than 44,000 pages of documents, there was never evidence of hockey players betting on hockey.

"No player ever — under any conditions — bet on a hockey game," Morabito said. "That's what the government was looking for and that absolutely never happened."

A veteran of 12 pro seasons, Paetsch began his career with the Amerks at the start of the 2003-04 American Hockey League season. He played three seasons in Rochester before earning a full-time NHL job with the Sabres in 2006-07. He played 167 NHL games for the Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Paetsch, a native of LeRoy, Saskatchewan, played the past three seasons for the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins. He has been an alternate captain for the Griffins and helped them win the Calder Cup in 2012-13.

He has made Spencerport his home since his playing days with the Amerks.

KEVINO@DemocratandChronicle.com