Video Poker 247
- Judge Puts Penland in Jail
Federal Magistrate Judge Dennis Howell has remanded former Bumcombe
County sheriff’s deputy Capt. Guy Penland to jail until his trial. The
former reserve member is accused of taking protection money and bribes
from video poker operators. Penland has pled not guilty to the
charges.
The Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Ellis has labeled Penland as a “lead
player” in the illegal video poker ring, and says that he worked the
deal right along with Sheriff Bobby Medford. In addition to Penland
and Medford, two other deputies were arrested for their parts in the
illegal video poker ring as well.
They are also accused of conspiracy to commit extortion under the
color of official right, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud
and deprivation of honest services of a public official, conspiracy to
commit money laundering, false statements and obstruction of state and
local law enforcement.
All of the accused will be held while they wait for their trial
according to the federal judge. Ellis said that they were moving
amounts as much as $5,000 at a time through Medford’s office in
protection money for the illegal video poker owners and operators.
Henderson Amusement, a South Carolina based video poker company, paid
Penland more than $11,000 over three months to help them find
locations for their video poker machines. FBI agents allegedly found
the records at the company’s office. They say that compared to the
others implicated in the illegal video poker ring, Penland seems to
have done the most and accepted the most money for his part in it.
Penland’s attorney paints a different picture. He says that the 76
year old man was “gullible” and was only accepting the bribes, etc. on
behalf of Medford. He says he just did it because he was trying to be
liked. Unfortunately, if convicted, his gullibility could bring him up
to 12 years in prison.
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January 2008 Archive
