Chris Bell & Michael Gracz Charged in Poker Bust in NC

[Al Capwne]

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They are well known live tournament players. Gracz has a WSOP bracelet and won the Party Poker Million WPT event. Bell has a number of significant cashes including one or more WPT final tables.

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Don't fall for NT's level...

[Franchise 60]

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wow, i didnt read all of the article so forgive me if its in there but what kind of punishment could they be looking at if convicted?

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[saucyspade19]

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wow, i didnt read all of the article so forgive me if its in there but what kind of punishment could they be looking at if convicted?

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this would fall under RICO stuff, and isn't that usually like 10+ years?

[cpitt398]

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wow, i didnt read all of the article so forgive me if its in there but what kind of punishment could they be looking at if convicted?

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this would fall under RICO stuff, and isn't that usually like 10+ years?

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rico is federal, it depends on state laws assuming it was all in house.

The only person in real danger would be Bell (out of the two) and it depends on the state laws. If it was only a poker game and not a full casino it would prob not be too big of a deal and may result in only a fine. With the casino added in, not sure how that would effect it

[ShadowNC]

I live about an hours drive up I-95 from this place and have known about it for quite some time, at least a year.

I've got a few friends that have been there many times but none were there the night of the raid. They had tried to get me to go a few times and I always said "No thanks...there is no way in hell the cops aren't aware of that place, and they probably already have people inside."

It amazes me that people think they can get away with running a full blown casino and not get busted eventually.

Having said that I really wish NC would legalize card rooms. My argument has always been that poker should be looked at within the same legal context as bowling. I don't see any difference between me going into a bowling center and plunking down $50 to enter a bowling tournament, and going into a legal and regulated card room and plunking down $50 for a poker tournament.

[EWS87]

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I don't see any difference between me going into a bowling center and plunking down $50 to enter a bowling tournament, and going into a legal and regulated card room and plunking down $50 for a poker tournament.

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a bowling tournament isnt 99.998% luck

Chris Bell will get in more trouble because he is one of the operators of the game. Gracz at most would get charged with a misdemeanor. A lawyer friend of mine told me that Bell could get charged with a felony.

I want to see the list of who was arrested. The article in the local paper said that the players busted came from as far away as Henderson, NV. I'm wondering who the players from Henderson were?

I had heard about the game and was planning to go there sometime in the near future. They say it was a real nice setup, very professional.

[arcdog]

We've had poker busts in Augusta Georgia several times - they come in, take 10-30,000 in cash from the place, charge those that are running the game with a felony, and charge the players with misdemeanor gambling. Felony charges plead to probation, and the players pay $200 or so fine without having to appear in court.

My guess is that NC has similar penalties.

I am an attorney in Augusta and was busted at one of the games. the local news was outside my office the next day, and ran a story with my office sign followed by a picture of the money on the table at the WSOP ME. Just pure comedy from the media. I lost the $1100 or so that I had bought in chips at the table, and they want folks to believe it was a much bigger deal.

[Zetack]

Quite frankly, I'm not sure what felony he could be charged with unless he had video poker machines.

Punishment for your class 2 misdemeanors if you have no prior record is up to 30 days in jail but it must be suspended and you can be place on supervised or unsupervised probation (in other words, no record - no jail). If you have five or more priors (and they only count as separate priors if you are convicted on different days, being conficted of five crimes on the same day would only count as one prior conviction) then you can get up to 60 days in jail.

--Zetack

[MrTimCaum]

haha, i know that mindy golds chick who is listed as one of the people operating the games on the arrest log. she used to play in a homegame i frequented a few years ago at ecu.