
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.
Back to
February 2008 Archive