Video Gambling Burglary Ring: Joliet, Plainfield, Romeoville Residents Charged

JOLIET, IL — Bail for Joliet resident Gino Wuttke has been set at $750,000 after he was one of several people, including his mother Guilia, arrested this week in connection a statewide burglary ring that spanned several counties across Illinois, Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced.

Raoul said his agency has filed charges against Giulia Wuttke, her son Gino as well as Alyssa Slouka, alleging they were part of a burglary ring that stole approximately $400,000 from video gaming machines throughout Illinois.

“Members of this burglary ring allegedly targeted bars, restaurants, social clubs and other small businesses that have video poker and video gaming machines. They broke into dozens of these establishments in multiple counties and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash out of the machines,” Raoul said in Thursday's news release.

“These arrests are the result of countless hours of cooperation between my office and several law enforcement agencies. I would like to thank the many agencies that collaborated with my office on this investigation and helped us break up this burglary operation.”

Meanwhile, arrest warrants are outstanding for two more people, Syed Zaidi, 41, of Romeoville, and Lucas Bailey, 40, of Wilmington.

Raoul said that Gino Wuttke committed crimes in the counties of Bureau, Carroll, Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, Jo Daviess, Kendall, Lee, LaSalle, Kane, Mason, McHenry, McLean, Ogle, Stephenson, Vermillion and Will.

The Joliet 33-year-old has been charged with the following crimes:

• 41 counts of burglary, Class 2 felonies each punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
• One count of theft, a Class 1 felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
• Two counts of money laundering, Class 2 felonies each punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

As for Gino Wuttke’s mother, Giulia Wuttke, she faces the following charges:

• Two counts of money laundering, Class 2 felonies, each punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
• One count of conspiracy to commit burglary, a Class 3 felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
• One count of conspiracy to commit theft, a Class 3 felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
• One count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, a Class 3 felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
• Giulia’s bond was set at $25,000, and her next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15.

A third detainee, Alyssa Slouka, 31, of Glen Ellyn, participated in crimes in the counties of Bureau, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Iroquois, Lee and Will, Raoul said.

She was charged with the following:

• Two counts of burglary, a Class 2 felony each punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
• Two counts of theft — one a Class 2 felony, punishable by up to 14 years in prison and the other a Class 3 felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
• Two counts of money laundering, Class 3 felonies each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
• One count of conspiracy to commit burglary, a Class 3 felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
• One count of conspiracy to commit theft, a Class 3 felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
• One count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, a Class 4 felony punishable by up to six years in prison.
• Slouka’s bond was set at $100,000, and her next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 8.

Besides them, Brian Morgan, 42, of Plainfield has been charged with 24 counts of burglary, one count of theft and two counts of money laundering. Morgan is currently in prison, serving a sentence in connection to unrelated charges, authorities said.

Related Joliet Patch story: Burglar From Joliet Captured In Yorkville: Police