Poker player Jordan Cristos remains in Clark County jail after pleading guilty to charges related to threatening a district court judge. However, he also appeared in court on Tuesday as part of a separate case involving World Poker Tour CEO Adam Pliska.
Similarly, Cristos allegedly sent Pliska threatening messages.
On Sept. 15, the 38-year-old pleaded guilty to felony stalking with use of the Internet or electronic communication. This came after Cristos allegedly made threats via email to Family Court Judge Regina McConnell. McConnell presided over a child custody involving Cristos.
WPT Case Could Be Dismissed
According to a Las Vegas Review-Journal report, the charges involving the WPT could be dismissed. But Cristos needs to adhere to certain conditions spelled out in his plea deal in the other stalking case.
Another option is simply pleading guilty to a misdemeanor attempted stalking charge. As part of his plea deal, the Palmdale, California native received 180 days in Clark County jail.
The sentence would run concurrently with another 180-day sentence for violating a 2023 temporary protection order against a former girlfriend. He received that sentence when he was arrested in June.
Court documents show that Cristos threatened to sue McConnell to get her removed from his child custody case if she didn’t rule in his favor and reinstate his custody. Furthermore, he threatened to create a website about his court battle and list the judge’s address.
“You’re going to grant the court shortening order AND reinstate my custody immediately before July 4th, or you’re going to have serious problems legally,” Cristos wrote to McConnell.
Additionally, Cristos left a vulgar post on a social media page of the judge’s church, according to prosecutors. He also left a death threat in another social media post that included a photo of the judge and her daughter.
WPT Threats Centered Around Online Poker
In the WPT case, Cristos allegedly sent threatening messages to Pliska and other company employees. He sought to have his online poker account reactivated.
“If you do not accept my offer, then you are going to meet the legend and the stalker in more ways than one,” Cristos wrote in a message.
At the tables, Cristos racked up nearly $3.8 million in live tournament earnings. His biggest score came when he won the 2013 WPT Legends of Poker at the Bicycle Casino for $613,355. He is one of several poker players to have a recent run-in with the law.
World Series of Poker Circuit winning George Janssen pleaded guilty to fraud after using fake documents to obtain $3.9 million in business loans. WSOP bracelet winner Cory Zeidman received a 46-month sentence in federal prison for fraud related to a sports betting operation.
Photo courtesy of WPT
