Authorities in Waukesha County have charged two North Carolina men with felonies for theft and computer crimes in a series of Wisconsin Bar Slot Theft cases. The suspects—Erik Nelson and Lamar McCaskill—are accused of orchestrating a coordinated scheme that defrauded multiple bars and entertainment venues across southeastern Wisconsin. They are accused of using electronic jamming devices to manipulate slot machines to pay out thousands of dollars in illegitimate winnings.

The Suspects and their Charges

Erik Nelson has been apprehended and is now in custody in Milwaukee County. He has waived extradition to Pennsylvania. He is wanted there for charges involving theft of nearly $7,000 from a truck stop. Lamar McCaskill continues to evade capture.

Both men have been charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court with several counts, including:

• Theft-Movable Property >$5000-$10,000
• Computer Crime-Destroy Equip. (Defraud)
• Theft-Movable Property <=$2500
• Computer Crime-Destroy Equip. (Defraud)
• Theft-Movable Property >$5000-$10,000
• Computer Crime-Destroy Equip. (Defraud)

According to information obtained by the Waukesha County Watch, a Lamar McCaskill with the same address and date of birth is possibly facing charges in North Carolina and Florida for similar offenses and other crimes. We have contacted court officials in these jurisdictions to confirm and will update you once we have more information.

Targeted Establishments and Techniques

Investigators report that the pair targeted at least three businesses in Muskego:

• Alpine Lanes – $5,239 stolen 
• Mug-Z’s Pub & Grill – $683 stolen 
• The Lodge – $5,032 stolen 

Surveillance footage from The Lodge reveals one of the suspects inserting a black device into the slot machine’s bill acceptor. This action caused the machine to register false credits, which were then redeemed for cash. Madelyn Johnson, the front-of-house manager at The Lodge, explained, “So they were feeding the gadget into the bill acceptor, and the machine registered as it was adding credits. So what they were doing was, it was building the credits right here and then they were just clicking collect. They would print, they would grab it. They would click redeem and they would scan it and the money would dispense right here.”

The devices used are believed to interfere with the slot machines’ operations, allowing the perpetrators to illicitly add credits and extract fraudulent winnings. Similar devices were recently seized from a Hong Kong shipment to Milwaukee in February 2025. Law enforcement discovered such jamming devices in a rental vehicle connected to Montare Goodman, another suspect charged in Milwaukee County. Goodman is also from North Carolina, and believed to be linked to Nelson and McCaskill. There is also a 25 year old North Carolina preschool teacher on surveillance linked to the men, but she hasn’t been charged. WCW is not releasing her name, pending more information and charges.

Broader Investigation and Legal Proceedings

The scheme extends beyond Waukesha County. In West Allis (Milwaukee County), a similar incident occurred at the Network Bar. On April 9th, two men engaged slot machines in that bar. Meanwhile, a third individual and a woman created a diversion by initiating a confrontation. During the commotion, one man claimed the machine had frozen, while another requested to cash out. The bar owner, Jake Sibler, recognized the suspicious behavior and alerted authorities. 

“When the machine ‘went down’ after they broke it, and found out I was coming, they left,” said Sibler. He added “This is the second time I’ve had a problem with this. Somebody else tried to come in and print their own receipt. But that did not work out. This is the first time this has actually happened to me.”

Erik Nelson is also a suspect in Kenosha County where police are investigating similar crimes from March. On March 31st, a similar theft occurred at Mariah’s Neighborhood Bar. Two men were seen on surveillance cameras sitting at the machines. It wasn’t until the next day that Bar owner John Pouloni noticed a problem. “I empty the machines every day, and there wasn’t enough money to go with the paperwork,” Pouloni said. He also mentioned that this was a first for him. He has never had another steal from his gambling machines before. Similar devices were used in that case. There was also a case at the Tipsy Kiwi bar in Kenosha.

Community Impact and Response

Local business owners are on high alert after these incidents. John Pouloni, owner of Mariah’s Neighborhood Bar in Kenosha, stated, “Since then, if we don’t know them, we don’t pay them,” emphasizing the increased vigilance among bar owners.

The investigation is ongoing, and extra charges could be forthcoming as more information emerges. Once we obtain more information from Florida and North Carolina, we will update you. Authorities urge establishments with gaming machines to watch for suspicious activity and promptly report any anomalies to law enforcement.

Note: This article is based on information available as of April 15, 2025.