damon jones is set to change his plea in a federal sports gambling case first brought by the Department of Justice last fall. A lawyer for the former NBA player and assistant coach confirmed that Jones intends to plead guilty after initially entering a not guilty plea. No date has been scheduled yet for the hearing, and the case remains active in federal court.
Damon Jones and the federal gambling charges
Prosecutors in the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York charged damon jones with two federal counts last October. He was accused of selling insider information to sports gamblers, including LeBron James’ game status, while he worked with the Los Angeles Lakers. The plea move marks the first signal from any of the six defendants charged in the case that one of them intends to admit guilt.
Jones was around the Lakers in two roles described in the case: as an assistant coach and as James’ personal shooting coach. Former Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier is also facing charges tied to the same case and indictment. The shift in Jones’ position gives the case a new turn, but the court has not yet set a timeline for the next step.
What prosecutors say happened
The charges center on claims that damon jones provided bettors with inside information that could affect gambling decisions. The case is one of multiple federal gambling investigations touching basketball figures, and Jones is also facing charges in a separate Justice Department probe. In that matter, prosecutors alleged that he took part in a rigged poker game ring that drained millions of dollars from victims who did not know the setup.
Federal prosecutors said Jones and former Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups acted as lures to bring in those victims. Jones has pleaded not guilty in that separate case, which keeps his legal exposure wide open even as he moves toward a guilty plea in the sports gambling matter.
Immediate reactions and the road ahead
One of Jones’ lawyers confirmed that he intends to change his plea. No other named defense response was provided in the available material, and the court has not set a plea date. The lack of a scheduled hearing leaves the next move in the hands of the federal process.
The development matters because damon jones is the first of the six defendants in this case to indicate he will plead guilty. For now, the case is still unfolding on two fronts: the sports gambling charges that prompted the latest plea move, and the separate gambling investigation in which Jones remains a not guilty defendant. More court action is expected, but the timing remains unsettled.
