Sentencing delayed for James Chad Tucker

Christina Tucker was sentenced to two years probation in federal court Monday for her role in running an illegal high-stakes poker game here last year.

Sentencing has been delayed for her husband, James Chadwick Tucker, until Friday after a continuance request from defense attorney Peter Strianse was granted.

On Monday, Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr. handed down the sentence as well as a special assessment of $100.

According to federal court documents, objections were made last month by Mrs. Tucker's defense attorney, Kimberly S. Hodde, to "a three level sentencing enhancement" based on a finding that she managed or supervised others who participated in the gambling operation.

Federal prosecutors agreed in a response last week that Mrs. Tucker "played an essential role in the offense but did not manage or supervise other members of the organization and therefore the three level enhancement should not apply."

Seven character letters were also submitted to Judge Mattice, most of them asking the judge not to separate Mrs. Tucker from her children. Three character letters have also been submitted on behalf of James Tucker.

The Tuckers were indicted in March by a federal grand jury on violation of 18 USC 1955, prohibition of illegal gambling businesses, and the couple entered a guilty plea in July.

The indictment stated that the pair "willfully and knowingly did conduct, finance, manage, supervise direct and own all and part of an illegal gambling business ..."

The pair face a prison term of up to five years, a maximum possible fine of up to $250,000, supervised release for up to three years, any lawful restitution, and a $100 special assessment.

According to the amended factual basis for the guilty plea, the Tuckers began operating the gambling business in January 2008 and it continued until the day the search warrant was executed on Aug. 12, 2008, following an investigation by the Shelbyville Police Department, the 17th Judicial Drug Task Force, the TBI and the FBI.

The raid took place at 101 Tillett Court, and 33 people were caught. Last September, 15 people who were facing the misdemeanor charges pleaded guilty and paid fines and court costs totaling $327 each, as well as giving up any money that was seized during the raid of the gaming house.

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

Federal documents say the Tuckers financed the illegal business in part by leasing the building in which the gambling business was conducted.

At different times during the nine-month operation, the Tuckers "would and did provide payments to the security personnel and arranged for the dealer to receive direct payments from the gambling in the form of tips," the plea document stated.

The Tuckers also received the profits that were derived from the gambling operation, the factual basis for the plea states.

Two of the dealers caught in the raid, Andrew Welsh Craze and Samuel Cory Owens, were both found guilty last month of one count each of aggravated gambling promotion, a class E felony, and were sentenced last week by Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell to 18 months -- with 45 days in jail, and the rest of the sentence under probation.