Crossville man present during high-stakes poker game raid in Sweetwater

Tennessee - The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported Friday that an unidentified Crossville man was among six people present at a high-stakes poker game in a Sweetwater motel that police stumbled onto the weekend before.

Neither the Crossville man, nor the other five present, were identified by police. Investigators say the group has apparently had been playing high-stakes poker at the motel once a week for two years. Evidence seized will be presented to an upcoming session of the county's grand jury.

Det. John Scruggs of the Sweetwater Police Department told the newspaper that $25,000 was seized when police responded to a complaint of loud music at the Best Value Inn motel located on Hwy. 68. "This was not a planned raid," Scruggs told the Chattanooga paper.

When officers arrived Aug. 17 at the desk, a clerk told officers there was no one registered in room 129, identified as the source of where the noise was coming.

Police became suspicious of statements made by the clerk in reference to the room and officers went to the room and knocked. When someone opened the door, officers saw a room with no bed or television, but with a couch, chairs, poker table and more than 50 decks of playing cards.

One man was seen by police trying to hide a bag of money behind a chest, police reported.

The six men — whom police described as being very cooperative — told officers they had been meeting every Friday for about two years.

After obtaining permission, officers searched the men's vehicles and found three weapons. Only one of the men had a permit to legal possess a weapon.

In addition to Crossville, the men were from Athens, Pikeville and Sweetwater.

News Added: 28 August, 2007

Number of views : 174