Agents report no word on more illegal poker games
By Catharin Shepard
Published in News on August 30, 2010 1:46 PM
SEVEN SPRINGS -- North Carolina Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement agents broke up an illegal high-stakes poker game last week at a residence in Seven Springs.
The state agents cited eight people with a Class 2 misdemeanor and confiscated $23,700 in cash and a poker table, cards and chips from an outbuilding at 2169 Pineview Cemetery Road after receiving tips about the poker game from people in the community. The raid happened at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Kay D. Smith of LaGrange, Frankie S. Walker of Goldsboro, Robert H. Davenport Jr. of Dover, Harold Newcomb, Edward E. Walters, Prentice J. Newsome, John W. Smith and Ernest L. Vinson were charged with participating in a game of chance. All of the subjects were cited and released.
The game took place at an outbuilding behind a residence, said David Williams, state special agent in charge for District Five, which includes Wayne County.
The agents completed the investigation and the case is closed, and the agency has not received reports of any other illegal poker games in the area, Williams said.
"We have not received any complaints or word that there may be, but there's always that possibility," he said.
Mount Olive Police Depart-ment officers provided surveillance for the operation. The state agents conducted the investigation, Mount Olive Police Department Chief Ralph Schroeder said.
State Alcohol Law Enforcement agents are authorized to enforce the state's gambling laws, which outlaw any person or organization from operating a game of chance or playing or betting on any game of chance that involves winning money, property or anything of value. Under state statute, the offense carries a Class 2 misdemeanor charge.
Gambling, as defined by state law, comes in many forms such as illegal lotteries, Monte Carlo nights, racing pools and video poker. N.C. Alcohol Law Enforce-ment agents made 391 gambling-related arrests in 2009.