You Know, Maybe We Should Pay Baltimore County Police a Bit More . . .

 . . . becasue they apparently consider a poker game with a $65-buy to be "high stakes," and worthy of a SWAT raid.

Baltimore County police arrested five men after an undercover detective infiltrated an illegal high-stakes poker game in Edgemere, records show.

Police say "Texas Hold 'Em" games were held regularly at the Lynch Point Social Club in the 3100 block of Roger Road, where organizers were making as much as $1,500 in profit a night, according to charging documents.

After receiving a tip, officers conducted surveillance at the club and later sent an undercover detective inside, who participated in a game with a $65 buy-in. The detective played for hours — leaving after he lost all his chips, records show.

A tactical unit conducted a raid on the club Feb. 11, seizing poker chips, electronic gambling machines and a surveillance system, among other items. Forty-one people were inside at the time of the raid.

Michael Benton Gilbert, 35, of the 3100 block of Lynch Road admitted to running the poker games and was given money by the club to pay off winners, police wrote in charging documents. He is charged with several counts related to organizing an illegal gambling operation, as well unlawfully possessing a slot machine, and was released from jail on his own recognizance, records show . . .

"These are financial crimes, and while it might appear on the surface that it's harmless, it festers into other crimes," said Lt. Robert McCullough, a county police spokesman.

Reached for comment, Gilbert referred questions to his attorney, Andrew Alperstein, who said Gilbert had no criminal record and "looks forward to resolving the case."

"In some of these types of cases, police have found other things, like drugs, or things of that nature, but there's none of that in this case," Alperstein said. "This is a wholesome group of working people playing poker. [Gilbert] is just a regular guy, has no record and supports his family."

It's too bad they can't also charge him with "aggravated festering."

Comments

[Full house]

private games remain legal...unless the house takes a cut.

[State Lotteries]

Yeah!!

[Highway]

Hey, Maryland has to protect the politically connected folks that are opening new slot machine parlors in the state, too...

[James J.B.]

"These are financial crimes, and while it might appear on the surface that it's harmless, it festers into other crimes," said Lt. Robert McCullough, a county police spokesman.

Actually, Lt. I would agree and add that, in addition to the financial crime of theft, your officers are also guilty of assault, false imprisonment / kidnapping, burglary, assault, among others.

[H man]

You said assault twice.

[Sovereign Immunity]

It's their personal favorite one.

[sloopyinca]

And he was probably right in doing so.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

"I like assault"

"Kinky...."

[Concerned Citizen]

Can't have peaceful, voluntary activity going on, can we?

[wylie]

"In some of these types of cases, police have found other things, like drugs, or things of that nature, but there's none of that in this case," Alperstein said. "This is a wholesome group of working people playing poker. [Gilbert] is just a regular guy, has no record and supports his family."

The Horror. This MUST BE STOPPED. WONT SOMEBODY THI....*head asplosion*

[Lt. McCullough]

Too bad there wasn't a dog to shoot.

[fish]

Yeah but we did get to put on our really bitchin costumes so the evening wasn't a total loss. Next time we'll swing by the shelter and bring our own dogs to shoot!

[SWATzi]

Can we at least shoot their black-velvet picture of the dogs playing poker?

[Lith Ping]

Hey, that's one of the greatest images of all times. I collect that stuff--found a nice throw-pillow recently at an estate sale. $3.00!

[ChicagoSucks]

That's what you get for not inviting Ronald McGubbermint to the table.

[James J.B.]

I would add that I see that Baltimore's crime problem must be over. All of the usual made up crime, like oh I guess murder, are all nonexistent.

[Apple]

"The detective played for hours ? leaving after he lost all his chips, records show."

Let the record also reflect that he did not enjoy his time at the club, gambling with someone else's money. Not one bit.

[Mike in PA]

Kinda makes you wonder if the detective had been the big winner on the night, perhaps this raid would have never taken place...

[Tommy Grand]

Mike, the raid would only have been postponed, not cancelled. Sooner or later the undercover cop would have lost.

[Aresen]

Well, that cop is one poker player I'd never stake.

[jacob]

$65 - high stakes? wtf

[Dan]

I agree... if I could play in the game, it is not high stakes.

[Griffin3]

If no weapon was involved, I'm pretty sure that would be misdemeanor festering.

[Almanian]

He had a pack of playing cards!! PLAYING CARDS, FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!

SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN....CUT OR SOMETHING!!!

[SugarFree]

How did the goddamn Atheists get powerful enough to make gambling illegal? Those bastards.

[Sovereign Immunity]

Easy, they weren't their just tithes for Almighty Government.

[J sub D]

That's atheist libertarians, dumbass.

[Mango Punch]

while it might appear on the surface that it's harmless, it festers...

Woah! Call the health department. No seriously, they were serving chips without a license!

[fresno dan]

Cousin It: Uncle Fester, is a good man, a decent, if bald man, who enjoys scraping his skin with dirty implements and allowing the infection to....dare I say it??? fester. The world would be a better place with more festering.

[Sovereign Immunity]

"These are financial crimes, and while it might appear on the surface that it's harmless, it festers into other crimes," said Lt. Robert McCullough, a county police spokesman.

Tell me Officer, do you and your colleagues hold sports pools?

[Police Spokesman]

It's only a slippery slope when I say so!

[fish]

Hey Mr Sovereign immunity you're just a simple "mundane" we'll tell you what's a threat to public order and whats not.

[Channelling Dunphy]

I have never seen nor heard of a police office breaking the law.

[sloopyinca]

"These are financial crimes, and while it might appear on the surface that it's harmless, it festers into other crimes," said Lt. Robert McCullough, a county police spokesman.

Once. Just once, I want a reporter to say "Source?" after some police spokesman makes a claim like this. I imagine the presser would go like this.

[JD]

A tactical unit conducted a raid on the club Feb. 11, seizing poker chips, electronic gambling machines and a surveillance system, among other items. Forty-one people were inside at the time of the raid.

I see they neglected to mention how much money they seized, and also didn't state what new toys the department will be buying with it.

[Carston]

"These are financial crimes, and while it might appear on the surface that it's harmless, it festers into other crimes," said Lt. Robert McCullough, a county police spokesman.

Gambling... the gateway crime.

[sloopyinca]

OT, but this needs to be seen.

It is now a felony punishable by 20 years to make a spoof video for youtube that makes it look like you are singing suggestive lyrics to kids. The fact that you weren't actually doing it is irrelevant. The mere appearance is enough.

WTF? I mean, really. WHAT...THE...FUCK???

[Gray Ghost]

Reading the comments, as you'd expect, does not give you faith in the level headed-ness of the people of Ravenna, Ohio. I mean sue the guy if you want for not getting a release for the kids' images, but felony criminal charges?! He could have backhanded one of the brats, put that on youtube, and be facing less time.

I had no idea Ravenna was in Ohio; finding that out made things a lot clearer. For all of the shit that Mississippi/Alabama take for being a bunch of provincial, in-bred fucks, it seems that every other story of police nutpunching---from New Rome to the Klannish behavior of Cincinnati P.D.---comes from Ohio. And the people, when interviewed, act like Omega pledges, and get angry the cops aren't doing more... What the fuck is it with that state?!

[Citizen Nothing]

Ravenna, Michigan, dude. Honestly, are you a Fox News reporter?

[Gray Ghost]

My bad. Thanks for the correction. I don't have the legs or hair to work for Fox news. "Not quite news, not quite porn."

Debit one from Ohio's stack and add it to Michigan's. I think the larger point about Ohio though, even minus this example of fucknuggetry, still stands. And the comments are hideous, whichever pedo-cowering, miserable, snow covered state their inhabitants hail from.

[Almanian]

I live in Michigan and work in Ohio. Both states could be wonderful, but are, in fact, execrable.

Ravenna's a fucked up little shithole - SHOCKED this would happen there.

Fuckers...

[Citizen Nothing]

"I live in Michigan and work in Ohio."
Ah. The best of both worlds.
Heh.

[Citizen Nothing]

You're probably right about that. (And as for New Rome, believe me, I'm WELL aware of how that went down.)

[Aresen]

"These are financial crimes, and while it might appear on the surface that it's harmless, it festers into other crimes," said Lt. Robert McCullough, a county police spokesman.

"festering". I think this pimple needs to be squeezed.

[Rhayader]

I guess if there had been a bong at the table, Aplerstein would have recused himself. Consensual poker is one thing, but consensual drug use? That crosses the line.

[Don Mynack]

I would love to serve on the jury for this trial.

OK, maybe not.

[Tony]

These people got what was coming to them.

Playing a private game is OK, but they weren't putting aside the government's share.

[Citizen Nothing]

Weak.

[pants]

Stop already with the sock puppet nonsense. Between this, the Steve Smith meme and the giant text walls I'm actually pining for the return of Joe and Gary Gunnels. That's right. I said it. Let it sink in and then put your straw puppet back in the drawer.

[joe]

I haven't been here in two years and I'm still the most popular person on this board. It is nothing less than a grudging admittance on your part that I was right all along. That is also a curtesy you show the new guy, Tony, when you post dozens more subthreaded responses under his well reasoned arguments than you do anyone else. The truth hurts, or else you would not bother.

Still miss me?

[Citizen Nothing]

Meta-weak.

[^not reay joe]

but joe sentimentalist remind me of George in his sweat pants phase and Jerry told him, 'you have just given up altogether now, haven't you?' Hundreds of man hours went into fragging his ass. It was the most concerted effort in Hit'n'Run history, and it was also our sweetest victory. Those who pine for the good old days forget his acidic bad faith and his clownishly egotistical asshattery. You make me sick. I can probably get him back here for real if you want. You deserve him, and deserve him good and hard, for forgetting.

[Vermont Gun Owner]

The other day I was wondering what the last thing joe said before leaving was.

[sloopyinca]

We can only hope it was: "OK. So the barrel is in my mouth. Now I just pull the tr"

or something to that effect.

[SugarFree]

No, he called us all racists and stomped off in a huff.

[sloopyinca]

That's right. I was fantasizing what rectal's last post on here would be.

[Almanian]

D

[fish]

Welcome to "Tony's Casino" where our motto is "When you win, the government wins with you. When you lose, you lose alone".

Cocktails....verboten.

[Jim]

To me, a $65 buy-in is high stakes, but it shouldn't matter how much of their own money people are willing to risk.

[Mainer]

See, it starts with gambling and before you know it, cats and dogs are living together..total chaos.

[J sub D]

This had to be stopped. It cuts in to the state's monopoly on the gambling racket.

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

Wait, what? Baltimore SWAT raid, and no dogs or people were shot?

Wow, hey, this IS news!!

[Vermont Gun Owner]

They ran out of bullets before they managed to hit anything.

[Paul]

Police say "Texas Hold 'Em" games were held regularly at the Lynch Point Social Club in the 3100 block of Roger Road, where organizers were making as much as $1,500 in profit a night, according to charging documents.

And once again, life imitates The Onion

[Vermont Gun Owner]

Those meanies who took all his chips should be charged with "interfering with a police investigation."

[Vermont Gun Owner]

The detective played for hours ? leaving after he lost all his chips, records show.

When I visit my parents for a couple days we always end up playing poker at one of their friend's house ($10 tournaments with about 40 people). About two years ago a new guy showed up who nobody really knew well, and he worked as a state trooper. It made me super uncomfortable, although nothing has happened so I guess he really does just like to play poker.

[Mensan]

So, let me get this straight...

A cop who's lousy at poker goes to a friendly private game and loses, so he comes back with his buddies and arrests the guy running the game. Friggin' sore loser!

[Mensan]

It could have been worse. The cops could have been the ones who convinced Gilbert to play poker in the first place, and then murdered him in his front yard.

[????? ??????]

Thanks