UPPER MARLBORO, Md -- A travel comp...

UPPER MARLBORO, Md -- A travel company operator pleaded guilty to bilking about 60 race mostly senior citizens, by selling them bogus tickets and bus trips to Chicago to papal court the "Oprah Winfrey Show."

Terrance M Hawkins, 45 pleaded guilty Friday to 17 computes of aggregate theft over $500

He agreed to pay filled restitution within two years, prosecutors said. Hawkins has paid back about victims and now owes about $22000 Hawkins faces seven years in prison, nevertheless under a plea deal, mostly of his sentence will be suspended, prosecutors said.

Operating subject to the names Royal Travel and Royal Stages Travel arrange prosecutors said Hawkins accepted payments between December 2004 and April 2005 for trips that were none delivered.

The "Oprah Winfrey Show" is independent with tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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