Michele Beckwith Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California
James Mecham, Kurt Stocks, and Heidi Edwards have pleaded guilty to operating an illegal gambling business through their company, SweepsCoach. Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced the guilty pleas of Mecham, 57, from Orem, Utah; Stocks, 49; and Edwards, 58; both from El Dorado Hills.
Court documents reveal that the trio managed businesses under the SweepsCoach name which facilitated illegal gambling activities across various locations in the United States, notably in California and Arizona. The company was headquartered in El Dorado Hills.
The defendants marketed their gaming operation and formed agreements with internet cafés for access to the SweepsCoach portal throughout California's Eastern District and Arizona. They assisted these cafés by setting up gaming terminals and providing technical support. Players used credits on slot machine-style games via video screens at these locations. Winning players could exchange credits for money at the cafés. Such internet gambling is prohibited under laws in California and Arizona.
SweepsCoach clients deposited cash proceeds from this illegal gaming into bank accounts controlled by Mecham, Stocks, and Edwards. Undercover operations confirmed these activities at several internet cafés within California and Arizona.
From January 1, 2012, to November 7, 2017, about $14 million in gaming proceeds were deposited into accounts managed by the defendants. Of this amount, approximately $11 million came from gross gaming receipts in California and Arizona.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), California Department of Justice Bureau of Gambling Control, and the California Franchise Tax Board. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heiko Coppola is handling prosecution duties.
Sentencing for Mecham, Stocks, and Edwards is set for October 21, 2025 before U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Each defendant faces a potential maximum penalty of five years imprisonment alongside a $250,000 fine. However, actual sentencing will depend on court discretion after reviewing applicable statutory factors as well as Federal Sentencing Guidelines which consider various variables.
