So if you hit the big jackpot on a slot machine in Vegas and you are a convicted pedophile.

Will you end up losing the money ?

I'm confused, what were the circumstances that led to you being a registered sex offender. This is a legitimate question you need to address.

What the hell is all this tap dancing about? The person in question is posting in the thread, and one guy is doing everything he can to alienate that person to the degree that he will never explain himself here.

Let's start all over:

Mr. Devita,

Can you please explain how you feel about being removed from the tournament, and, further, how you feel about the amount you were refunded?

Lastly, the obvious question:

Can you please give us at least the broad strokes regarding your case or cases? It appears you are not contrite, so I am assuming you are under the impression there was something wrongful about the attention you received from the police and the courts.

Aren't these the obvious questions that everyone here would like answered?

Your not gambling in the NFL. Its a horrible analogy that doesnt correlate whatsoever with the current situation.

Sometimes we like to forget that poker is conducted in a casino and is a form of gambling. We need to protect people from getting ****ed over/freerolled. Even if the guy is the scummiest of scum. He paid his debt to society and should enjoy the rights like the rest of us.

i'm waiting on you to provide some for the accusations you have made. i think you are letting your emotions get the better of you at the expense of reason.

Good luck.

he should get paid 20k, period

http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/cgi/pros...=18696073A0107

TONS more to be found online, as well as ton of police mug shots of this child molester...

Reopening the thread with the following info:

Jessica Welman interviews Stephen Martin of EPL regarding DiVita, Rheem and player conduct.

Criminal report from 1991 arrest

Criminal report from 2008 arrest

Attempt to stay on topic regarding the EPL's handling of DiVita's situation and not veer off into other topics. I know that's difficult for some people in NVG to handle.

Ty!

Actually, Slim has been effectively shouted out of more than one tournament, and I don't know that I have seen him play many WSOP events any more, likely for fear of more reprisals.

They stole $18.5k from him. Pretty simple. It's pretty hilarious how they choose their wording very carefully (in my mind blantantly lie) to make it look like the guy withdrew on his own. The proper thing would've been to allow him to sell his seat, or be compensated for it in some way.

Because a guy is a criminal doesn't mean you have the right to rob him. If he had busted out would they have returned his money because of his criminal past? We all know that would've never happened, so they clearly did nothing other than freeroll on him.

Basically DaVita got Chino'd by the EPL.

Bluff Magazine could've done a much better job on this interview. Looks like they are doing damage control for EPL, because I seriously doubt it would've been hard to get DeVita on the line when he's on this forum actively posting about the situation. Embarrassing.

This whole thing is disgusting. Pedo, corrupt poker league, weak ass journalism. I wanna puke.

Yeah Pokers!!

But if he has guaranteed money, he gets paid it regardless. See: JaMarcus Russell

I don't care how bad what this guy did is. If he followed the rules, he deserves his 20k, which he fully earned. It can be said he doesn't get the extra 4k+ in EV because he didn't earn it,(yet) because the EPL has deemed him ineligible, which, as a private league, is their right.

The recidivism rate of convicted felons is quite high enough without them being banned from just trying to make a living or have a life. You got a second chance in the very thing you were caught cheating in, and have come away a better person for it. Now I'm not saying he should be able to run a day care, but I AM saying he should be able to live his life and try to earn a living within the considerable, and mostly reasonable, constraints put upon him by the law. Beyond that, sure, deride him, make fun, whatever, but don't infringe on his right to make a living. Otherwise, we may as well shoot all convicted sex offenders in the head rather than send them to prison. Then, hell, why not all felons, they're good for nothing anyway, right?

DiVita on this forum said he would gladly talk

I like Jessica a lot, but that was a really weak interview. I mean you have to just flat out call BS on the guy. When someone says something that makes zero sense, like "I spoke with him and he decided to withdraw so there's no issue here" you might want to pick a better follow-up question.

so, on one side we have devita. his stance is that he chose to play a $1500 satellite into a bigger tournament and when he won a seat he was told that he could leave with his buyin or nothing. i could believe this, because nobody likes sex offenders.

on the other side we have the EPL. their stance is that a poker player paid $1500 to satellite into a bigger tournament and when he won a seat, he voluntarily withdrew. i could believe this because.... nope, nothing springs to mind.


i know who i believe. pay the scumbag his money and ban him from having any more involvement in your fail of a league.

Wow! After reading that Bluff interview with the Epic rep, I'm truly at a loss of words to describe how they have the right to pass judgement on anybody.

Seriously, only two tournaments in and this much drama and negative publicity, this league is an embarrassment for poker.

They should drop this league before people with personnel vendettas start digging up dirt on players and it just becomes a free for all.

Another arrest in 2010 bail was set at $100,000. He has one hell of lawyer!
http://www.scribd.com/doc/64420094/M...ult-on-Officer
Arrest Charges
CountChargeSeverityDescriptionViolationDatePleaSta tus
1 PC 242 FBattery/Peace Officer/EmergPersonnel01/21/2010
Filed Charges
CountChargeSeverityDescriptionViolationDatePleaSta tus
1 PC 220 F Assault/IntentRape,Sodomy,Oral Copulation01/21/2010 NOTGUILTYDISMISSED2PC245(A)(1)FAssault w/deadlyweapon/instrument non-firearmproduce GBI01/21/2010NOTGUILTYDISMISSED
Other Charges
CountChargeSeverityDescriptionViolationDatePleaSta tus
999PC667(A)F PRIOR-Serious Felony Convictn 01/21/2010 DENY STRICKEN

According to his own words he chose to take the $1500, claiming he did it because "$1,500 is more than $0."

Maybe someone should inform him that $1,500 is less than $20,000.

What he should have done is stand his ground and demand the 20k that he is legally entitled to. Not sure what his rights are once he voluntarily chose to accept $1,500.

All that being said, I'm not shedding any tears for someone who has harmed children and then has the gall to come on here and talk about how so many people are supporting him like he's a great guy or something. It should be clear that what we are supporting here is the principle, not the individual.

I have yet to hear him address the charges against him, which include "647.6 ANNOY OR MOLEST CHILD UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE" and "243.4(d) SEXUAL BATTERY INVOLVING A RESTRAINED PERSON," despite claiming that he would answer all questions as long as they are posed in a "mature" manner. I would also like to know how it is that he can get away with living practically next door to an elementary school.

The guy is obviously a predator. He has been given way too many chances..

Very true.

Regardless of what he has done in the past, to allow EPL to rob him of $18.5k like that is worse for poker and everyone in general beyond poker as well.

DiVita was told that he could withdraw and get $1500 and that if he didn't withdraw he would be suspended from the league and not permitted to play the Main Event.

Really interesting, and I bet that if this forum consisted of people from a different demographic then there would me many more people saying that the EPL was right and this guy deserves to be treated unfairly.

However poker players are much more rational/logical people and less emotional/irrational, which is why most people in here believe the EPL is taking advantage of the guy.

fwiw, I also feel like this is total bull**** by the EPL even if this guy happens to be a scumbag...

+1

Couldn't have said it better myself

Yeah, no-one likes paedos but EPL should not be allowed to reverse freeroll poker players just because they feel like it.