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GoogleAuthorities conducted a raid at 101 Tillett Court on the evening of Aug. 12 where high dollar poker games were allegedly held. A total of 33 people were caught up in the raid -- with seven facing felony charges and 26 others charged with gambling, a misdemeanor.
According to a report by Detective Brian Crews of the Shelbyville Police Department, law enforcement had received various complaints about the alleged operation and learned "that on one occasion a subject was robbed leaving the gaming house and that on a separate night a gun was displayed and threats made toward a promoter of the event ..."
Crews wrote that he solicited the help of a confidential informant and did a utilities check on the building, which showed that electricity was billed to Christina Tucker.
The informant told Crews that Tucker and her husband Chad "were the promoters of the illegal gambling establishment," and provided the detective with information on several dates during the investigation.
Crews learned from the informant that the alleged games would typically start at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays.
"According to the informant, players would arrive at that time and eat a meal that was provided by the house and then select which table they were going to play on and what seat they wished to sit in," Crews' report read. "The four tables in the building had minimum buy in of $1,000, $500, $200 and $100."
Crews also stated that the building was allegedly guarded by Victor Gill, who controlled access by "locking and unlocking a door," communicating to promoters inside when someone would enter. Video cameras covering the outside of the building were monitored inside, Crews wrote.
"The informant also stated that players would typically purchase chips from Chad or Christina Tucker who stayed behind the door of the cash office; however players could also purchase additional chips from the individual dealers at the tables," the report read.
Surveillance was also conducted on the building by Crews, Detective Charles Merlo and Special Agent Richie Lewis of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Cars were observed arriving at the building and remaining "until the early hours of Wednesday morning, leave, and then return around noon on Wednesdays."
Crews also wrote that he learned of a gambling house that was raided in La Vergne in December 2006 and "that several of the people that were arrested there were attending the game in Shelbyville."
While watching the building on July 22 from 5:30 until 8 p.m., the investigators observed approximately 35 to 40 people arrive at the alleged gaming house. License tag numbers were also run which came back to the alleged promoters "as well as people previously convicted of gambling in La Vergne, Tennessee."
More surveillance was conducted on July 29, which was recorded on video this time, with 35 to 40 vehicles being observed, Crews wrote.
A week before the raid on Aug. 5, Crews, Merlo and Special Agent Lewis met with an undercover agent, who was issued $2,000 in confidential funds and sent into the alleged gaming house, where he spent two hours.
The undercover agent bought $500 worth of chips and spoke to Chad Tucker, who allegedly told the agent "he was the man in charge of the establishment and that any disputes would be handled by him." The agent was also allegedly introduced to Gill by Tucker.
"The undercover noticed the dealers cutting the pot so that the house could profit from the gambling," Crews wrote.
All the evidence was collected and presented to the district attorney's office, with search warrants drafted for the location on Aug. 8. Felony warrants for the Tuckers, Gill and the four dealers, Neal C. Phillips, Samuel C. Owens, Andrew W. Craze, and Christian E. Jeppsen II, were obtained by Special Agent Lewis.
On the evening of Aug. 12, authorities executed the search warrant and upon entry, noticed games going on at three different tables, the report said. Chris Tucker and Gill were taken into custody, as well as the dealers. Christina Tucker was noticed at the Kangaroo Store on Madison and Hillcrest and was arrested.
Christina refused to speak to agents, Crews wrote; "however Chad admitted that he and his wife were the promoters of the illegal gambling enterprise at 101 Tillett Court. Gill and the four dealers were interviewed and all admitted to being employed by Chad and Christina Tucker."
A total of 26 others were processed and will appear in court on Sept. 23. In all, $16,590 was seized from the cash office, $300 from the tables and $30,978 were taken from the individual players.
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Wow! So who keeps all the cash? Are the players just out the 31,000 dollars?? I understand keeping the house money.
Dah! Like everyone didn't know there was an informant....no real detective work here...just a snitch with an axe to grind
Sorry for the double entry...oh, well, the truth never hurts repeating.
So, most of the information was obtained by an informant, and it STILL took 4 months to complete the investigation?
I just don't get it. It seems to me that it was pretty cut and dried. What a waste of resources.
Here we go again...not giving credit to the work of the local law enforcement...
No detective work...LOL
Amazing how easy it is for poeple to whine and complain about something they themselves are too weak to do...
"I woulda done it this way..." etc etc
Then go get certified and get on the streets, and do it your way...
Show em what REAL detective work is...
If thats too much for you, then quit freaking running your pie hole about something you obviously know nothing about.
Nobody'sFool .... is apparently his own fool.
If you've never worked law enforcement then stuff it. This isn't TV. I've worked investigations that have taken a year to put together. Do one thing wrong and you are screwed and you lost the case.
I find it kind of sad that some of the people in this town can't handle criticism. I have never once insulted the officers involved or suggested that the case didn't involve any work. However, I stand by my opinion that it doesn't seem to ME, that it should have taken 4 months.
I'm not stupid. I can understand why some cases take longer than others (following leads, looking for the ringleader, etc), but in this case, it seems that everyone in town knew what was going on and who was running it.
While I am admittedly not an expert on most things, I pride myself on having an open mind and being able to carry on an intelligent discussion. So please, by all means, if I'm missing something, feel free enlighten me.
Otherwise, if you can't handle one taxpayer's opinion, then perhaps you aren't suited for work as a public servant.
Just a thought.
Crime is crime. Now that we have our vicious card players arrested maybe the resources of our PD can focus on the peaceful 'crack' and 'meth' dealers.
BE ADVISED: The "informant" was, more than likely, a criminal of some crime, (alledged or otherwise). You all know how the "deal making" goes. The informant was either looking at time, or fines, for some crime (probably a worse one than mere gambling), and was in business for a "deal". More than likely, for lesser fines, or less time in jail, the informant "worked" with the police department and informed them about things. In return for their co-operation, they likely got a sentence, or fine reduced. I love it, take a person, probably charged, or in some other way connected with, again, more than likely, drug realted crimes, and make a deal with them in return for information on an even lesser crime (gambling). GOOD OLE BOY AT ITS BEST. I speak of the good ole boys from experience. I, some time ago had something stolen from me, I found it and called the police. It happened to be that the police officers that responded to my call knew the land owner where my stuff was and went on to tell me that maybe I was mistaken. I was not mistaken, the thing I was missing was alive (really!). And no mistake had been made. I was then told that a report would be made and that I was going to be provided with proof from the land owner that the "thing" was his. NEVER HAPPENED. To this day I am positive that not a single record of this is on any report period. Further, if you are reading this and are an enforcer of the law, call the webmaster, or e-mail him/her in order to get into contact with me.
Or the informant could have been somebody at one of the other many poker games in town that thought this game was taking some of their players.. hmmmm
Revenge can sometimes make people do strange things
true diana, yet not logical. If another player was getting revenge for the game in question taking players, getting it busted wasn't the answer. Because getting it busted meant that all the other smaller games had to stop too, or risk the heat.
It is amazing to me how people can sit back & complain & never give any credit. Did anyone read that the child murderer Edward McGee will not be back on the streets of Shelbyville? I read the story & it amazed me there were only 6 comments posted, when there were 70 something comments posted about the raid. HELLO people the same guys that were investigating the gambling house are the same guys that kept a child murderer off the streets. But I guess there are only a few that find that important. I am most positive that the detectives did not spend 7 days a week for 4 months working on this case. And to Nobody's Fool I'm sure you sit behind a desk Monday-Friday, never have to worry about coming home to your family day in & day out & would never have the courage to do what the policeman do on a daily basis. So as far as a waste of resources go next time you need help whether it be a cop, fireman or the EMS why don't you just handle the problem yourself or call one of your office buddies, so no tax dollars will have to be used. Just a thought.
Let me correct myself there were a total of 172 comments between two stories on the gambling raid & 17 comments on a child murderer not being set free on the streets. Does anyone else find that odd?
Personally I don't find that odd at all. McGee killed 2 children in 1966 not one, the courts failed us back then also by not charging him with both crimes. Technically he should have never had a chance to walk the streets. He should have been given Life without parole. If it had not been for the families of the two girls and Bo pushing this, I feel almost assured he would have walked.
THIS IS NOTHING BUT A GOOD OLD BOY TOWN I KNOW PERSONNALLY I USED TO WORK FOR THE JAIL AND BECAUSE I DID NOT DO EXACTY WHAT MY SUPERIOR WANTED ME TO DO I GOT WROTE UP AND FIRED FOR IT NONE OF IT WAS TRUE BUT IT WAS THERE WORD OVER MINE IN A WAY I GOT SOME COMFORT A FEW MONTHS LATER WHEN THE SAME SUPERIOR AND 2 OTHERS GOT IN A WHOLE LOT OF TROUBLE FOR DOING WHAT THEY ACCUSSED ME OF DOING I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY BUT THE BAD THING IS AFTER THAT I CAN NOT EVEN GET A GOOD JOB IN THIS TOWN IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT YOU LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN YOU HAVE TO GO BY THERE RULES OR BE SCREWED GRANTED I KNOW SOME OF THE COPS AND THEY ARE VERY GOOD AT THEIR JOBS SO YES I AGREE THAT WHO EVER THE INFORMER WAS HE WAS MADE A DEAL JUST TO GIVE UP THAT HOUSE
Oh my- RE:"So as far as a waste of resources go next time you need help whether it be a cop, fireman or the EMS why don't you just handle the problem yourself or call one of your office buddies, so no tax dollars will have to be used. Just a thought."
To imply that the sworn officers of this town shouldn't have to serve and protect the citizens who disagree with them, is simply ludicrous.
I happen to be be acquainted with several city and county officers, as well as being a very close personal friend with someone from the fire department.
Thank God they show more respect and integrity than you've shown in your comments here. Otherwise, I'd be ashamed to admit that I was born and raised here.
Again, I have never once attacked the character of any of the officers involved in this case. It seems to me that some of the people posting here are either overly-sensitive or defensive, for some unknown reason. Lighten up people. The last time I checked, Americans still have the right to an opinion, regardless of whether it's popular or not.
Everyone is sensible over a loved one being trashed, whether they was just doing their job, or commiting a crime. It is hard to sit and read, or hear someone say bad things about someone you care about, or even know that would not hurt a fly. If gambling is illegal, and these people knew that what they were doing was illegal. They are responsible for what they have done and are subject to the punishment for it. Their are places that has Legal gambling, and if they wanted to comply to the law, and do their gambling then they would have went where they could gamble legally.
But this is not what they did, and it is there own doings what they have done. Regardless, None of them deserves to be called names or bashed by anyone, they were playing games to win money. We all have done things we should not, and have made bad decisions; theirs' at this time was against the law. The officers and agents that done this arrest and investigation, are doing what they are told to do, this is their job. And I know it bothers them sometimes to have to arrest people they know, or even care about sometimes, but they have to do it. That is their job.
If they made a bust in a months time, then they may have missed some new comers that may have more of a criminal history. 4 months, gives more time for the word to get out about it, and others to start coming. It also gives them time to get leads on other criminal activity that may be taking place with some of the people that come, leave, and go to another crime scene or activity. So if they made arrests to soon they may miss out on more serious crime activities some may be involved in. Also, they "may" needed to wait for a certain AMOUNT OF MONEY to be involved or made, before an arrest too.
If their was in fact some people that were worn to stay away because they were going to raid the place, then that is very wrong. And the officers or agents or whomever that told them are quilty of interferring and involvement of criminal acts and justice.