Seven Indicted on Video Poker Gambling Charges in March

Sorry, I don't know how I missed this story from early March, but I still felt that I should post it....

Copied from The Star, Cleveland County, NC
http://www.shelbystar.com/news/grand_29465___article.html/indicted_jury.html

Seven indicted on video poker gambling charges
Wednesday, Mar 12 2008, 11:16 pm
Freedom News Service

GASTONIA - A Gaston County grand jury indicted seven people last week on gambling charges stemming from police raids on two businesses in Gastonia and one in Cherryville.

The names of those indicted were not listed on a grand jury sheet provided to the public last week because the case was added late Monday, the day the grand jury met, said Assistant District Attorney Bill Stevenson.

Prosecutors allege that four businesses - J&B's, 1837 W. Franklin Blvd.; Phone Sweeps, 2566 W. Franklin Blvd., and J&M Cash and Carry and Cherry Sales, both located at a downtown Cherryville business at the corner of Main and Pink streets - were actually fronts for online gambling schemes.

Video gambling machines were banned in North Carolina on July 1, 2007.

Prosecutors say people were gambling illegally by using swipe cards to buy time or credits. Players can earn more time or credits by playing any number of games on computer terminals, according to police. And payouts for winners were made at the counter, Gaston County District Attorney Locke Bell said after the raids.

Those indicted:
Jodi Elizabeth Bell, 48, of the 5000 block of Wood Road, Gastonia, was indicted on one felony gaming machine violation, two counts of misdemeanor gambling and two counts of misdemeanor dealing in lotteries at J&B's in Gastonia.

Jody Widener, 41, of the 200 block of East Main Avenue, Bessemer City, was indicted on one felony video gaming machine violation, two counts of misdemeanor gambling and two counts of misdemeanor dealing in lotteries at J&B's in Gastonia.

Anthony Burkett, 25, of Rock Hill, S.C., was indicted on continuing criminal enterprise, two counts of felony video gaming machine violation, four counts of misdemeanor gambling and four counts of misdemeanor dealing in lotteries at J&B's in Gastonia.

Teresa Goins Gardner, 44, of the 600 block of Crescent Circle, Kings Mountain, was indicted on one count of continuing criminal enterprise, obtaining signatures by false pretense, one count of felony video gaming machine violation, three counts of misdemeanor gambling, three counts misdemeanor dealing in lotteries and one count of misdemeanor conducting an illegal raffle at Phone Sweeps in Gastonia.

Michael Larry Turner, 54, of the 1100 block of Baxter Road, was indicted on one count of obtaining property by false pretense, one count of misdemeanor gaming machine violation, one count of misdemeanor gambling and one count of misdemeanor dealing in lotteries at J&M Cash and Carry in Cherryville.

Phillip Craig Caldwell, 46, of Campobello, S.C., was indicted on one count of continuing criminal enterprise, obtaining signatures by false pretense, one count of felony video gaming machine violation, three counts of misdemeanor gambling, three counts misdemeanor dealing in lotteries and one count of misdemeanor conducting an illegal raffle at Phone Sweeps in Gastonia.

Robert Clay Sparrow, 65, of Blacksburg, S.C., was indicted on one count of continuing criminal enterprise, obtaining signatures by false pretense, two counts felony video gaming machine violation, four counts of misdemeanor gambling, four counts of misdemeanor dealing in lotteries at J&Bs in Gastonia and Cherry Sales in Cherryville.

Copied from The Star, Cleveland County, NC
http://www.shelbystar.com/news/grand_29465___article.html/indicted_jury.html