County makes restitution agreement after gaming theft

NEBRASKA CITY – An Otoe County judge continued  sentencing for 45-year-old Elroy Helmstadter to give him more time to make restitution following electronic gaming deception in Syracuse.

Judge Julie Smith said the Otoe County Attorney’s Office and the Lincoln man agreed on $1,675 in restitution, but Helmstadter has not paid anything prior to sentencing and came to court Monday without any cash.

Prosecutor Jennifer Panko-Rahe said she will ask for incarceration for Helmstadter based on evidence that he presented fake payout tickets for electronic gaming machines at Cubby’s Convenience Store at Syracuse.

Helmstadter said he has been incarcerated in Lincoln so he could not raise money to pay, but is now working and will have the restitution in April.

The judge told Helmstadter she would consider payment of full restitution in his favor at sentencing.