Former state trooper pleads guilty to obstructing gambling investigation

A retired New York State Police sergeant admitted Wednesday in federal court he tipped off the owners of an illegal online sports betting ring in Rochester that it was under investigation.

Thomas J. Loewke pleaded guilty to obstructing a law enforcement investigation, a felony that could result in a five-year prison term. 

Loewke tipped off Louis P. Ferrari II on Dec. 27, 2021, that the online sports betting ring Ferrari ran was under investigation by state police, according to his plea agreement. It alleged Ferrari then changed the password of his sports betting website and deleted the history of bets placed with it. 

The online sports betting ring had brought in illegal profits of more than $10 million during a five-year period ending in 2021, prosecutors said in a criminal complaint against Loewke filed in January.

Loewke, who had placed numerous bets according to prosecutors, retired from the State Police Troop E in October 2021. 

Federal sentencing guidelines are expected to call for him to be sentenced to a range of 10 to 18 months in prison, according to his plea agreement. The sentencing is scheduled Sept. 6.