Video Poker 24/7 - Sheriff Charged With Extortion

Video Poker 247 - Sheriff Charged With Extortion

Hamilton County Sheriff Billy Long has been charged with extortion for accepting payments linked to illegal video poker establishments. He is accused of extorting money from the video poker operators in return for “protecting” them. He was arrested Saturday in an FBI sting that brought down many illegal video poker establishments as well.

Long is accused of accepting $17,400 to protect the illegal video poker establishments from the law by informing them of any investigations that might turn up their activities. He is also accused of protecting them and their illegal methamphetamine labs that were often located on the premises of the illegal video poker establishments.

Long also allegedly accepted $6,550 in cash as “his payoff to a cooperating witness supposedly laundering $625,000 in drug trafficking proceeds.” He was given $1,000 from the informant, which was from the FBI, and told that the money would be hidden in a particular location.

Long has since been detained by the FBI and has not been released as he is considered a “danger to the community” by federal prosecutor Gary Humble. Long was a member of the law enforcement service for 31 years and was elected in 2006. It seems that he is the only law enforcement officer named in the video poker scandal, as he seemingly worked alone.

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