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NORTH ATTLEBORO - Police began probing alleged gambling by public works employees on town time after receiving a tip from an informant who allegedly gave police photographic evidence.

Meanwhile, the alleged gambling ring leader, Michael A. O'Connor, 56, a retired park department employee, pleaded innocent Monday in Attleboro District Court.

O'Connor, of 213 Mansfield Ave. in Norton, was released after his arraignment and declined to make a comment to The Sun Chronicle about the allegations.

O'Connor allegedly dropped off football betting tickets to water department foreman Robert E. Barney, 46, according to police and court records.

Barney allegedly gave them out to other employees and collected the tickets and cash during working hours in a town vehicle, according to police and court records. Barney and O'Connor face charges of managing a gaming operation and two related gambling charges.

Barney and two other men, Kevin S. Leone, 39, a water department employee, and Robert L. Whooten, 52, a highway department worker, pleaded innocent Friday.

Whooten and Leone were charged only with placing bets.

All four defendants are due back in court Nov. 23. Police say the investigation is still ongoing.

In court records made public Monday, police allege they got a tip about the gambling from a person who took photographs of football betting slips on Barney's office desk.

The informant told police the football tickets "originated out of Federal Hill in Providence." When asked how the informant knew that, the person responded, "Trust me. It is what I have heard."

The person was familiar with how the alleged gambling ring operated, which police allege they confirmed through surveillance, according to the court records.

Police then obtained arrest warrants and search warrants, which they executed last Friday morning.

The investigation is being conducted by Capt. Daniel Coyle and detectives Lt. David Dawes, John Reilly, Daniel Arrighi and Michael Elliott.