All eight men robbed at gunpoint last year during a high-stakes poker game have settled charges of illegal gambling against them. Seven of the eight men entered guilty or no contest pleas to the charges, and were fined $300.
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 was indicted on two counts of armed robbery in November and is awaiting trial.
The charges of illegal gambling are intertwined with felony cases, Sorsaia said. And while gambling is not as serious a crime, it's a violation of the law "and we just couldn't ignore that," he said.
"We needed a symbolic gesture to basically demonstrate that you're not supposed to be doing this," Sorsaia said. "We just wanted to send a message that this kind of organized gambling should not be taking place and it's against the law."
Four of the men charged with illegal gambling - Knopp, Higginbotham, Molner and Ullman - originally pleaded not guilty to the charges and requested a hearing. Each retracted their not guilty pleas over the course of three months.
Molner entered a plea of no contest on Jan. 5; Knopp on Nov. 25; and Higginbotham on Nov. 10.
In late November, Knopp said he decided to plead no contest because the cost of pursuing a hearing was too much.
"I just surrendered and gave up because of the financial obligations," he said. "A lawyer could have handled it, I know he could, but I didn't want to pay him, either."
Reach Veronica Nett at veroni...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.
WINFIELD, W.Va - All eight men robbed at gunpoint last year during a high-stakes poker game have settled charges of illegal gambling against them.
Seven of the eight men entered guilty or no contest pleas to the charges, and were fined $300.
The county magistrate's court, at the recommendation of the county prosecutor's office, dismissed charges of illegal gambling against one of the men, Max Ullman of Vienna, on Dec. 22.
County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Sorsaia said his office granted Ullman a diversion agreement at the recommendation of Ullman's lawyer, which allowed him to do community service instead of paying a fine.
Ullman donated $1,000 to local charities for food and toys as part of his community service, Sorsaia said.
"This amount far exceeds the fine and costs that would otherwise be assessed if the defendant entered a plea to the charge," according to the dismissal motion filed in Putnam County Magistrate Court.
K.A. Anemodouriotis of Huntington; Bill Molner of Charleston; Harry Knopp of Parkersburg; and Adan Assi of Kenova entered pleas of no contest.
Robert Lee Burgess of Charleston; John Collins of Hurricane; and Gerald Higginbotham of Nitro pleaded guilty to the charges.
The men faced $5 to $300 in fines. If they are caught taking part in another illegal game, they will face 10 days to 30 days of jail time.
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 was indicted on two counts of armed robbery in November and is awaiting trial.
The charges of illegal gambling are intertwined with felony cases, Sorsaia said. And while gambling is not as serious a crime, it's a violation of the law "and we just couldn't ignore that," he said.
"We needed a symbolic gesture to basically demonstrate that you're not supposed to be doing this," Sorsaia said. "We just wanted to send a message that this kind of organized gambling should not be taking place and it's against the law."
Four of the men charged with illegal gambling - Knopp, Higginbotham, Molner and Ullman - originally pleaded not guilty to the charges and requested a hearing. Each retracted their not guilty pleas over the course of three months.
Molner entered a plea of no contest on Jan. 5; Knopp on Nov. 25; and Higginbotham on Nov. 10.
In late November, Knopp said he decided to plead no contest because the cost of pursuing a hearing was too much.
"I just surrendered and gave up because of the financial obligations," he said. "A lawyer could have handled it, I know he could, but I didn't want to pay him, either."
Reach Veronica Nett at veroni...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.
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