Former Dotty’s Employee Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Stealing Nearly $715K
Posted on: December 30, 2025, 02:55h.
Last updated on: December 29, 2025, 04:57h.
- A Nevada man will spend at least eight years in prison for stealing almost $715K
- Dotty’s casinos noticed hundreds of thousands of missing dollars at six locations
- Dotty’s operates slots parlors across Nevada and other states
A Sun Valley man formerly employed by Dotty’s has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after he admitted to embezzling more than $714,000 from the locals casino operator.
On Monday, the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office announced that Thomas Tonar, 61, was given six to 20 concurrent years for four counts of embezzlement of more than $100,000, and two to 10 years for two counts of embezzlement of under $100,000.
In aggregate, Tonar was sentenced to eight to 30 years. He will be eligible for parole after serving eight years.
Tonar’s victims, many of whom were tipped colleagues at Dotty’s casinos, spoke on the impact his crimes had, including difficulty in making ends meet, rent, and mortgage payments. The Honorable Barry Breslow, appointed to the Second Judicial District Court in April 2017 by then-Gov. Brian Sandoval (R), handed down the sentence.
Caught Red-Handed
The Sparks and Reno police departments were called in July by Dotty’s management after discovering that several of their locations were targeted in a brazen theft by one of the casino’s own.
Security surveillance video captured Tonar stealing bricks of cash from the backroom offices of several Dotty’s casinos. Dotty’s is a chain of slot machine parlors with dozens of locations throughout Nevada.
The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office did not specify Tonar’s position or how he was given access to the numerous offices. Law enforcement, working with Dotty’s accounting departments, determined that Tonar stole $714,713.59.
Police initially struggled to locate Tonar. But after a few days, he was located in California at a motel in Sacramento. An arrest warrant was carried out through a joint operation with local law enforcement in California.
Police were able to recover $677,069 in stolen cash inside Tonar’s motel room. Three firearms were also found.
Tonar later admitted to stealing the cash from six Dotty’s locations. He’ll now spend at least the next eight years behind bars. Tonar did not provide a motive for his criminal actions, with him presumably well aware of the casino’s security measures.
Dotty’s Employment Perks
With approximately 175 locations in Nevada, Oregon, and Montana, Dotty’s says it’s constantly in search of strong workers. The Dotty’s webpage says it’s hiring “friendly people.”
The perks are good, as the company offers benefits for full-time employees, including health insurance, paid time off, and a 401K retirement savings plan. Current openings include bartenders, security personnel, slot technicians, maintenance workers, and management.
Dotty’s was founded in 1991 by Craig Estey. Along with Dotty’s, the company’s gaming brands in Nevada include Bourbon Street, Points! Casino, La Villita, Red Dragon, and U1.
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