Miami News-Record
Tuesday, November 26, 1996
Owner charged with slot operating
By Ron Holmes
Miami News-Record
Misdemeanor charges were filed by the Ottawa County district attorney’s office Monday in connection with the seizure earlier this month of two slot machines from an area restaurant.
Richard Huckabee, 51, owner of Dick’s Place at 3208 E. Highway 10, Deanna Golden, 22, and Jody Johnson, 40, were each charged with two counts of operating a slot machine in the east Miami establishment. Each charge carries a possible fine of $25 to $100 and/or up to 30 days in jail.
During testimony in the trial of Ottawa County Sheriff James “Ed” Walker last month, Huckabee admitted he had purchased the machines and a few days later investigators for the district attorney’s office and sheriff’s deputies seized two machines from the business.
District attorney investigators stated in the search warrant that they had played the machines using tokens purchased at the business and that their winnings were used to purchase food or drinks, constituting illegal gambling.
Huckabee, whose business was one of several included in a 1995 raid by federal agents against gambling devices, is under federal indictment on gambling charges. Walker was charged with illegal gambling extortion and obstruction of justice in connection with the raids. Earlier this month he was acquitted on eight of the 12 charged against him, and the jury was deadlocked on the remaining four. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has said it will pursue the additional charges.
District Attorney Ben Loring said Monday he filed misdemeanor charges because the offense is not a felony, although it remains unclear whether the simple possession of such slot machines and the video gambling machines seized in the 1995 raid are illegal if not used for gambling, Loring said.
“The position that I’m taking is that they are not legal. There are some differences. These are more of a Las Vegas-style slot machines. But regardless, it’s my position that they are illegal,” Loring said.
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