The operator of a well known illegal poker tournament and his six dealers pleaded guilty to illegal gambling. They were fined and received probation from the Baltimore District Court. The charges are a result of a police raid on the tournament location, Owls Nest in South Baltimore.
The tournaments organizer, Gerald dickens, pleaded guilty on three illegal gambling charges, for each night an undercover detective watched him running the illegal poker tournaments. Dickens was fined with 500 dollars plus court costs and received two years probation. The six dealers fined 250 dollars each, in addition to court costs and received six month unsupervised probation. Dickens agreed to give away the 25,655 dollars police detained in the raid. Part of the money belongs to his partner, Joseph A. Cary, 51, from Pasadena. Carys hearing was delayed due to its illness and will take place on February 28.
The case caused conflict between police and the states attorneys office after prosecutors rejected the charges against 80 people who participated in the tournament. The Police and the prosecutors joined forces on the charges against the tournament operators and the dealers.
