LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — In the resemblance of a casino, an illegal gambling spot was busted Tuesday afternoon, with Laurel County Sheriff’s officials gathering numerous gambling machines and equipment along with cash and drugs.

The walls of a back room in a business on U.S. 25, one mile north of London, across from Green Roof Plaza were lined with various gambling machines, accompanied by an ATM machine and nearly $10,000 in cash. Sheriff John Root said the gambling facility was located in a strip mall and the facility had been petitioned off for a front office with blinds covering the windows. But once past the front area, entrance into the back room hosted a variety of machines  and even a sign boasting the current jackpot.

The setup was quite extensive, including surveillance cameras. One of the cameras was capable of opening the door to the back room after viewing who was entering the building.

“It almost looked like a casino,” Root said. “We know that several businesses in the county have gambling machines, but most of those are the ‘mom-and-pop’ stores. This was a business set up strictly for gambling.”

Raymond C. Wright, 45, of Pete Walters Road in Williamsburg and 32-year-old Shannon R. Jones of Cripple Creek Road in Rockhold were arrested and charged with first-degree promoting gambling. Additional charges were filed against Jones after police found cut straws with white residue and a plastic bag corners with white powder inside. Officials suspected the substance to be methamphetamine, and field tests confirmed their suspicions. Jones was then charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, first offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Officers also confiscated a large amount of cash during a search of the building.

Wright and Jones were arraigned before Laurel District Court on Wednesday morning and both were placed under $5,000 cash bond. They are scheduled for a preliminary hearing on June 12.

But the action didn’t stop just with the discovery of the gambling site and the arrests of those involved in its operation.

While deputies were on the scene, two men presumably patrons of the gambling center, arrived and became upset when they were refused admittance to the building due to the ongoing investigation. According to the press release, the two men — 62-year-old Jerry Collier and 30-year-old Jerry Collier Jr., both of Ky. 1376 in East Bernstadt — became irate. The elder Collier was charged with resisting arrest. Jerry Collier Jr. was charged with second-degree disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Sheriff’s officials swarmed the scene when a call for backup went out to fellow officers when the Colliers engaged in a scuffle with Detective Jason Back and Brad Mitchell.

Both Colliers were arraigned on Wednesday morning. Jerry Collier pled guilty and was ordered to 360 days in jail, to serve 24.

Involved in the search and investigation were Sheriff John Root; Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore; Detective Jason Back; Detective Billy Madden; Senior Sgt. Greg Poynter; and Deputies James Sizemore, Shawn Boroviak, Greg Turner, Robbie Grimes, Steve Hoskins, William Bo Harris, and Gilbert Acciardo.

Root said the discovery of a gambling facility the scope and size of Tuesday’s investigation was “significant” for law enforcement.

“An establishment such as the one investigated today whose sole purpose was for illegal gambling will not be tolerated by the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office. Illegal operations tend to draw in other illegal activities into the area,” he said.



njohnson@sentinel-echo.com