Gambling house workers receive jail sentences

Despite pleas for leniency, two men convicted of helping to run an illegal poker house in Shelbyville last year will spend the next 45 days in jail and the rest of a 18-month sentence on probation.

Andrew Welsh Craze and Samuel Cory Owens were found guilty in September of one count each of aggravated gambling promotion, a class E felony, and on Thursday, Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell handed down their punishment.

Craze and Owens were two of the card dealers caught in a raid executed Aug. 12, 2008 at 101 Tillett Court, where high dollar poker games were held.

Both men and family members asked Russell for leniency for the class E felony, which carries a range of one to two years and a $3,000 fine, but the judge said he needed to "get their attention" by sentencing both to the one year, six month sentence, with the first 45 days to be served in the Bedford County jail.

However, Russell imposed no fine against the two, citing child support, and both men were then placed into custody.

Before the sentence was passed, Craze told Judge Russell that his involvement with the gaming operation "occurred in a dark time in his life" when he was struggling with paying bills and child support, which made him "desperate."

Craze also apologized to law enforcement, the court, the citizens of Bedford County and his family and friends for "letting them down" and asked Russell to put him on probation. He also said he intended to move to East Tennessee and become involved in the family business.

Larry Craze, Andrew's father, also took the stand to plead for probation for his son, telling Russell was unaware his son had been convicted of the felony until last month. He said he was willing to open his home to him and give him a job.

Owens also apologized to the court, and told Russell that being convicted of a felony would "follow me the rest of my days." He asked for probation because he was afraid any jail time would result in the loss of his job.

Owens' father, Jerry, also pleaded for leniency for his son, saying that he would support, provide guidance and supervision.

However, assistant district attorney Mike Randles told Russell that both men had enhancing factors with their previous criminal record. Both men had previous DUI's, and Craze was on bond on his DUI charge when he was caught in the gambling raid. Also, Owens had a number of misdemeanor charges on his record.

Randles told Russell that a split sentence would be appropriate - jail time, then probation.

Russell wished the pair good luck after passing sentence and said that he hoped the court did not see them again.

Thirty-three people were caught in the raid last year; seven were charged with felonies and 26 others with misdemeanor gambling.

Authorities said during the trial that the raid occurred on "a slow night" and that as many as 50 to 60 people would participate.

The gambling raid followed an investigation by the Shelbyville Police Department, the 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Officers took $48,000 in cash, gambling paraphernalia, a small amount of marijuana and firearms in the raid.

In July, the alleged ringleaders of the gaming operation, James Chad Tucker and his wife, Christina Tucker, entered guilty pleas in Eastern District Federal Court in Chattanooga. They are scheduled to be sentenced Monday.

The Tuckers were indicted in March on violation of 18 USC 1955, prohibition of illegal gambling businesses, according to federal court documents.

The two other card dealers, Neal C. Phillips and Christian E. Jeppsen II, have already pleaded guilty in Bedford County to their involvement.