Charges filed after Ham poker raid

GREENSBORO -- Ham's Restaurant was charged Wednesday with violating state gambling laws for holding a "Texas Hold 'em" poker event last week.

The tournament was raided March 3 by agents from the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Division.

The list of charges includes: operating a game of chance, allowing gambling in a house of public entertainment, keeping an illegal gaming table, and being an ABC permittee that knowingly allowed a violation of the gambling statutes on an ABC licensed premises.

5th Street Entertainment, the company responsible for organizing the poker tournament at the High Point Road restaurant, also was charged with keeping an illegal gaming table and operating a game of chance.

5th Street corporate officers Zachary Luttrell, 28, and Michael Jeremy Kowalski, 31, both from Charlotte, each were charged with keeping a gaming table and operating a game of chance.

"Our investigation indicates several violations of the gambling statutes," Rodney Johnson, ALE district supervisor, said in a written statement. "As with any violation of state law, we will take appropriate enforcement action, and the courts will make the final decision."

Calls made to Ham's owner Steve Stern were not returned Wednesday.

Officials from 5th Street Entertainment could not be reached for comment.

On March 2, ALE agents aided by Greensboro police and Greensboro ABC officers seized poker tables, cards, chips and other paraphernalia from Ham's Restaurant at 3017 High Point Road in Greensboro.

The seizure was part of the investigation into a complaint that the restaurant was sponsoring a poker tournament boasting a free Las Vegas trip to the tournament winner and gift certificates to winners of other tournament games.

Undercover ALE agents entered the tournament and played poker games at the restaurant's High Point Road location.

The poker tournament was played at different retail locations in the Greensboro area, according to the ALE.

North Carolina law prohibits operating games of chance if anything of value is bet.

The investigation revealed the promoter and operators were attempting to skirt the law by avoiding having the players themselves pay to enter the games, according to the ALE.

News Added: 10 March, 2005

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