Illegal Poker Bust

October 9, 2008

Fayetteville, North Carolina was the site of an illegal poker game that was busted up Friday night. The owner of Yadkin Road Poker House was arrested along with 39 of his poker playing patrons.

The Narcotics/Vice Suppression Unit, the Special Projects Unit, and the Emergency Response Team of the Fayetteville PD served a gambling search warrant at the location of the illegal poker gambling. Theresa Chance is the spokeswoman for the police department, and she said that the owner Christian Patrick Lusardi, 36, was charged with gambling and illegal alcohol sales.

Lusardi’s mother, Diana, was also charged with illegal gambling. During the raid police seized playing cards, poker chips, poker tables, flat screen TVs, cameras, and $12,000 in cash. They also took $6,000-$7,000 from Lusardi at the scene of the poker establishment and more than $3,000 from his home.

There were also drugs found at the scene of the raid. One man, John Preston Melvin was charged with trafficking opium/heroin, possession of cocaine, and possession of marijuana. There were handguns found in the vehicles of the patrons as well.

Some of those involved in the illegal poker game were members of the military. However, Ft. Bragg did not have a comment and did not appear at the scene.