WINFIELD, W.Va. - Two of the eight high-stakes poker players who originally requested hearings to fight illegal gambling charges after being robbed at gunpoint last year have entered guilty pleas. 

Two other men from the same group refused to plead guilty to the misdemeanor illegal gambling charges and have requested a hearing.

Harry Knopp of Parkersburg and Gerald Higginbotham of Nitro pleaded guilty to misdemeanor illegal gambling charges. The men had originally entered not guilty pleas earlier this month.

Knopp pleaded guilty to the charges Tuesday. Higginbotham pleaded guilty Friday.

Knopp said he decided to plead guilty because the cost of pursuing a hearing was too much.

"I just surrendered and gave up because of the financial obligations," Knopp said. "A lawyer could have handled it, I know he could, but I didn't want to pay him either."

The Putnam prosecutor's office filed the charges Oct. 29 against: Robert Lee Burgess of Charleston; K.A. Anemodouriotis of Huntington; John Collins of Hurricane; Adan Assi of Kenova; Max Ullman of Vienna; Bill Molner of Charleston; Higginbotham and Knopp.

All have been arraigned in Putnam County.

Molner and Ullman refused to plead guilty to the charges and have requested a hearing.

Molner's hearing date has been set for 10:30 a.m. Jan. 6 in front of Magistrate Kylene Brown.

Ullman's hearing date has not been set.

WINFIELD, W.Va. - Two of the eight high-stakes poker players who originally requested hearings to fight illegal gambling charges after being robbed at gunpoint last year have entered guilty pleas. 

Two other men from the same group refused to plead guilty to the misdemeanor illegal gambling charges and have requested a hearing.

Harry Knopp of Parkersburg and Gerald Higginbotham of Nitro pleaded guilty to misdemeanor illegal gambling charges. The men had originally entered not guilty pleas earlier this month.

Knopp pleaded guilty to the charges Tuesday. Higginbotham pleaded guilty Friday.

Knopp said he decided to plead guilty because the cost of pursuing a hearing was too much.

"I just surrendered and gave up because of the financial obligations," Knopp said. "A lawyer could have handled it, I know he could, but I didn't want to pay him either."

The Putnam prosecutor's office filed the charges Oct. 29 against: Robert Lee Burgess of Charleston; K.A. Anemodouriotis of Huntington; John Collins of Hurricane; Adan Assi of Kenova; Max Ullman of Vienna; Bill Molner of Charleston; Higginbotham and Knopp.

All have been arraigned in Putnam County.

Molner and Ullman refused to plead guilty to the charges and have requested a hearing.

Molner's hearing date has been set for 10:30 a.m. Jan. 6 in front of Magistrate Kylene Brown.

Ullman's hearing date has not been set.

In November 2007, police say Jacqueline Dennis and Kimberly Steinbrecher robbed the men taking part in a high-stakes poker game in a storage building behind a bar on W.Va. 34 near Hurricane.

Police say the women made off with $27,000 in cash.

In October, Dennis, 28, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery.

Steinbrecher has not been indicted. She has been charged with two counts of armed robbery.

During Knopp's arraignment on Nov. 12, he said the county prosecutor's decision to press charges was a surprise.

After the group contacted the police the night of the robbery, Knopp said they were under the impression the county would not pursue gambling charges.

Putnam County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Sorsaia said earlier this month that his office moved forward with charging the men because it could not ignore the magnitude of money involved in the game.

The game was also a violation of the law, Sorsaia said earlier this month.

The six men who pleaded guilty to the charges were fined $300. If they are caught taking part in another illegal game, they will face 10 to 30 days of jail time.

If found guilty in magistrate court, Molner and Ullman will face a $300 fine and about $400 in court costs.

Reach Veronica Nett at veroni...@wvgazette.com or 348-5113.