WINFIELD,W.Va. - Two of the eight high-stakes poker players charged with illegal gambling after being robbed at gunpoint last year are fighting the charges.

Harry Knopp of Parkersburg and Gerald Higginbotham of Nitro have refused to plead guilty to misdemeanor illegal gambling charges and have requested a hearing.

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"My wife handed [the summons] to me and said 'here you go, criminal,'" Knopp, 68, said Tuesday.

The men face $5 to $300 in fines. If they are caught taking part in another illegal game, they will face 10 to 30 days of jail time.

Burgess and Collins pleaded guilty to the charges Nov. 10. Anemodouriotis pleaded guilty on Nov. 6. All were fined $300.

"It's an awful lot," Knopp said. "They went straight to the top and charged us the maximum."

Putnam County Magistrate Kim Blair said Wednesday that to remain consistent, the county's magistrates are fining the men $300.

"It's not really fair to do one $5 and another $300," Blair said.

Blair arraigned Knopp on Wednesday. His trial has been assigned to Magistrate Linda Hunt. The date has not been set.

Higginbotham appeared before the court Nov. 6. His trial has been assigned to Blair. He is scheduled to appear before the court at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 8.

Molner, Assi and Ullman are yet to appear before a magistrate.

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.

WINFIELD,W.Va. - Two of the eight high-stakes poker players charged with illegal gambling after being robbed at gunpoint last year are fighting the charges.

Harry Knopp of Parkersburg and Gerald Higginbotham of Nitro have refused to plead guilty to misdemeanor illegal gambling charges and have requested a hearing.

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; Billy Molner of Charleston; Adan Assi of Kenova; Max Ullman of Vienna; Higginbotham and Knopp.

"My wife handed [the summons] to me and said 'here you go, criminal,'" Knopp, 68, said Tuesday.

The men face $5 to $300 in fines. If they are caught taking part in another illegal game, they will face 10 to 30 days of jail time.

Burgess and Collins pleaded guilty to the charges Nov. 10. Anemodouriotis pleaded guilty on Nov. 6. All were fined $300.

"It's an awful lot," Knopp said. "They went straight to the top and charged us the maximum."

Putnam County Magistrate Kim Blair said Wednesday that to remain consistent, the county's magistrates are fining the men $300.

"It's not really fair to do one $5 and another $300," Blair said.

Blair arraigned Knopp on Wednesday. His trial has been assigned to Magistrate Linda Hunt. The date has not been set.

Higginbotham appeared before the court Nov. 6. His trial has been assigned to Blair. He is scheduled to appear before the court at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 8.

Molner, Assi and Ullman are yet to appear before a magistrate.

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.

Knopp said the illegal gambling charges were 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.

 "The cops said they weren't interested in that," he said. "The sheriff reported they weren't going to pursue our game; then the prosecutor got a hold of it."

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 last month.

"It's just an overzealous prosecutor," Knopp said. "Hell, I've played poker with one sheriff, police and lawyers. It's too bad the prosecuting attorney doesn't play."

None of the men involved in the game are professional poker players, Knopp said.

"They're old retired guys with nothing to do, so they play poker," he said.

Poker is not a game of chance as described by the state statute, Knopp said.

"It's a game of skill," he said. "You have to manipulate the hand."

After Knopp requested a jury trial Wednesday, Blair set his bail at $300 and released him on his own recognizance. 

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

Reach Veronica Nett

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