`something For Everybawdy' Is Daring, Funny

2 Robbery Suspects Waive Hearing

By RICK ROGERS; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Friday, January 10, 1997 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





WILKES-BARRE -- When the undercover officer got his sandwich and $1.18 in
change, he figured he had enough to launch a gambling raid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The officer, a state trooper, paid for lunch at Red's Subs, in Lake
Township, with a $5 coupon he won there by playing a video poker machine, says
one of seven police affidavits used in this week's gambling raids. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Through small transactions, two undercover Troop "P" Vice and Narcotics
Unit officers gathered evidence against seven Luzerne County businesses raided
Tuesday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In those raids, the state police seized 15 video poker machines, one keno
machine and $6,716 in cash. A total of 50 restaurants, taverns and social
clubs in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties were raided Tuesday by police and
Internal Revenue Service agents for gambling. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Affidavits were available regarding the seven raids only. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 During the operations by the vice officers, video poker operators from Back
Mountain Bowling Lanes, Dallas; McDonald's Newsstand and Curry Donuts, both of
Nanticoke, and Pocket Billiards, Wilkes-Barre Township, paid the undercover
state police officers cash, according to affidavits of probable cause. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The police officers allegedly were paid 25 cents per credit accumulated on
the video poker machines. Generally, 100 or more credits are needed for a
player to receive payment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But to be charged with violating the Pennsylvania Crimes Code by gambling
or having gambling devices, businesses need not have paid troopers only. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The undercover officers witnessed an employee of Suzy Cue's Billiards,
Wyoming, paying off a customer who tallied enough credits on a poker machine,
says the affidavit. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Officers also said "knock-off features" on three video poker machines at
Colonial Bowling Lanes constituted gambling devices. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The knock-off features, which remove accumulated credits from a machine so
the next player doesn't get credit and payment for them, are found only on
gambling devices, said police. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael Conahan signed the
search and seizure warrants Tuesday for the non-liquor establishments in
Luzerne County. To date he has received only the seven warrants executed by
the undercover state police vice and narcotics unit. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 State police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement raided the establishments
that held liquor licenses. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to the affidavit, all gambling devices, records, money and
related material were seized in the raids. Arcade, office, rental and storage
areas were searched. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 One story detailed the sting operation at Curry Donuts in Market Street
Plaza, Nanticoke. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to a state police affidavit: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On Tuesday, Nov. 26 two undercover state police officers entered the
doughnut shop at 4:10 p.m. and one of them began playing the video poker
machine. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Now if you get over 100 points you let me know," said a waitress
identified as Jeanette to the police officer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The undercover officer put enough money into the video machine to score
more than 100 points. He played until he had 101 points, at which time he
notified Jeanette, who instructed him to write his name and number of points
on a napkin. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Come back here Monday night (Dec. 2) and Santa Claus will have a present
for you," she told him. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I just come back on Monday night?" the trooper asked. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Yes, just come back here Monday and you'll have a $25 present," Jeanette
said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Jeanette said the man who paid off on the machines went hunting that
Monday, the first day of the antlered deer season. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On that following Tuesday, the undercover received his $25 in an envelope.
This Tuesday, the state police confiscated the video poker machine and the
$29.75 it contained. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Undercover Cops Hit Jackpots In Poker Stings 
Authorities Tuesday Conducted 
Gambling Raids At 50 Restaurants, 
Taverns And Social Clubs In Luzerne And 
Lackawanna Counties

Undercover Cops Hit Jackpots In Poker Stings Authorities Tuesday Conducted Gambling Raids At 50 Restaurants, Taverns And Social Clubs In Luzerne And Lackawanna Counties