Video poker case delayed

Fayetteville, NC - The owners of Funtime Amusements could have gone to court Monday to fight an order that shut down their video poker business.

But at their request, Judge E. Lynn Johnson postponed the hearing for a week to give Funtime’s lawyers time to prepare.

Michael and Barbara Waguespack of Funtime Amusements hired Gerald Beaver and Mike Williford of Fayetteville and Lew Starling of Smithfield late last week.

As of Monday, no charges have been filed against the Waguespacks, Beaver said. At least nine others accused of violating gambling laws have been arrested in the sting.

Starling said his firm also represents the N.C. Amusement Machine Association, which represents the video poker industry. But Starling said his work for the Waguespacks is separate from his firm’s work with the trade association.

The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, state Alcohol Law Enforcement office and Federal Bureau of Investigation on April 28 began several days of raids, during which they searched the Waguespacks’ homes and dozens of bars, restaurants, other businesses and a private home that operated Funtime’s video poker machines. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said Funtime’s video poker business was the largest criminal enterprise uncovered in Cumberland County.

Video poker is an arcade version of the card game. By law, the poker machines aren’t allowed to pay out money. Players are allowed to win prizes so long as they are worth no more than $10. Investigators say that in a three-year undercover effort, they saw Funtime’s machines pay out nearly $8,000 in cash at businesses in Cumberland and neighboring counties.

The day the raids started, Cumberland County sued the Waguespacks on the basis that they were creating a criminal nuisance. Johnson granted the county a temporary restraining order to stop the business, to keep the Waguespacks from selling their property and to preserve their machines and related possessions for the investigation.

A search warrant from the raids says lawmen found about $1 million in cash in homes the Waguespacks own on Pentagon Court in Hope Mills. The searches also yielded computer equipment, video poker machines, money counters, poker chips and nine guns.

News Added: 09 May, 2006

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