Originally Posted February 26, 2008
Police said Tuesday they raided a home where they said much more than strip poker was being played.
Police said a man turned a poker game with neighborhood residents into his business, with thousands of dollars on the table, high-priced buy-ins, credit card machines and occasionally, nudity.
Police said 37-year-old William Shane Anderson, his wife Laurie, 37, and 20-year-old Matthew Balotin, were released on bail Monday after being charged with first-degree advancing gambling, providing a premise for gambling, possession of gambling devices, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and conspiracy.
Police said they were also questioning the Andersons' parenting skills, as they said the gambling was going on as the children were in the house, and even said their mother, a stripper, helped run the business.
"On occasion, she was also a dealer and she would deal topless, as well as basically serve liquor," said Middletown Police Chief Hank Tobin.
After a long investigation, police said they figured out why the house was so popular. They said after Anderson lost his job, they said he decided to turn the "Texas Hold 'Em" night into a career.
Police said he reached out to players all over the Mid-Atlantic, held tournaments with high entry fees, and hired a man as a bouncer/dealer. Police said Alexander even accepted credit cards at 14-hour marathon games that sometimes went on a few nights a week.
Anderson has denied running a casino out of his house. Police said, however, that's exactly what it became over time. Neighbors said they always knew something was up, NBC 10 News reported.
"People would try to get out in the morning, get out of their driveway," said a neighbor. "They'd come home at night and they couldn't park on their own street. They'd have to park a block away."
Police said they have the list of all the people who played poker at the house. Some neighborhood residents were on the list, and they could also face criminal charges, police said.
