Attorney General Lockyer Appoints Robert Lytle as Director of the Division of Gambling Control

(SACRAMENTO) – Attorney General Bill Lockyer today announced the appointment of Robert Lytle as Director of the Division of Gambling Control. Lytle, a 20-year law enforcement veteran, began his career as a California Highway Patrol officer before joining the Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement as a Special Agent and later rising to the rank of Assistant Chief. In October 2002 Lytle was named Deputy Director for the Division of Gambling Control where he was responsible for administrative, fiscal, personnel and operational programs. He became Acting Director of the Division upon the retirement of Harlan Goodson in July of 2003.

"With more than two decades of law enforcement experience, Bob has the talent, energy and ability to lead the state's gambling regulatory efforts," Lockyer said. "The Director of the Division of Gambling Control must be able to develop good working relationships with state, local and tribal regulatory partners. I am confident that Bob will be a good leader for the division and further protect the integrity of legal gambling operations in California."

The Division of Gambling Control regulates cardroom and Native American gambling activities in California to ensure that gaming is conducted honestly, competitively and free from criminal and corruptive elements. The Division's responsibilities include conducting background investigations on owners and key employees to determine if they are suitable to hold a state gambling license and monitoring the conduct of licensees to ensure compliance with the law. Lytle will supervise a staff of 144 and lead the Division's oversight of gambling operations at the state's 104 cardrooms, as well as 63 casinos run by Native American tribes.

Lytle's law enforcement career began in 1983 as a traffic officer for the California Highway Patrol. He joined the Attorney General's office in 1984 and was assigned to the Fresno office of the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) where his assignments included the Clandestine Lab (Meth) Team, Special Operations Unit and the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP). In 1988, as a Special Agent Supervisor, Lytle commanded several BNE multi-agency task forces including the Kings County, Merced/Mariposa and Yuba/Sutter Narcotic Task Forces and the Central Valley Meth Task Force. After serving three years as a Special Agent in Charge, Lytle became Assistant Chief of BNE in 2000 where he was responsible for administrative support and oversight of BNE's narcotic enforcement operations in California.

Lytle has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from CSU, Sacramento. He also graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.