Regular 1/2 underground, raked game. Local Sheriff's Dept (8 or 9 deputies) broke down the door with a battering ram, 2 or 3 guns drawn, and a lovely hour spent with the po-po.

Was this a game in Irmo by chance?

No, it was the northeast side of town. The two Irmo games have been left alone, so far.

Couldn't find this on Google News. Was this last night?

Cops came in around 8-8:30 pm. Most players were released from the apartment around 9:15. I haven't seen any news of it online, either.

Cletus have you been to or played in the Irmo games? Ive been invited but havent made it down yet. Heard it was a tight run game though....

South Carolina is SELF RIGHTEOUS JESUS LAND with all that entails. In addition, it has one of the highest unemployment rates, has pitiful public education and lousy health care. Plus the populace are ignorant and uninformed. They have been controlled by RIGHT WING EXTREMISTS for over 20 years and will continue to do so despite the pitiful state of existence. Your favorite Senator is a LOON Jim Demint and the Democrats nominated a Moron Alvin Greene to run against him. Its a JOke of a State so of course Private Poker Games are raided.

Enjoy,

DFSPON

I couldn't find anything online either, but I'd be interested in a link if anyone does find one.

Color me skeptical - Did they have a reason to use a battering ram and draw down on this game? Were there known felons or something in the game. Seems a bit excessive to come in with a battering ram and guns drawn for a $1/$2 game - raked or otherwise.

I don't doubt that a game may have been broken up - it just seems like this is really over the top.

Sarge

Thats how they all go down in SC.....lots of cops in SC have a short man complex and do all they can to make up for it.

Not sure if you'd call it a "reason". A young military kid who had played in the game once, about 5 months ago, had been calling for a few days wanting to come play again. He bought in, with $100 in marked bills, texted the cops, then practically begged to cash out. Sadly, he was up a bit, and hadn't met the 2 hr limit.

It was the departments narcotics team doing the raid. I guess he had gotten into some trouble and this was a way out of some of it...but the details are 100% correct.

South Carolina just doesn't seem a good place for poker these days...

Wow, what an incredible *******. "hmmm, I got in trouble for (insert drug here). How can I get out of this? I know, I'll roll over on some random friends who play poker, that'll get me off the hook!"

I heard an interview with the author of a book that came out recently. It's about how the US justice system is increasing based on a cycle of mandatory sentences, plea deals, and pressuring people to become informants.

I'm guessing the story he told the prosecutor/DA didn't match OP's description of the game very closely, explaining (partially) the heavy-handed entrance.

Ummm,this is wrong. And they didn't use a battering ram. WHo are you?You weren't at the game...

wow. i live in columbia and have all of this going on around me. what a douche this kid is too btw with marked bills. wtf.

After the bust takes place around 8:15-9:30 pm Wednesday, I finally hear from the girl who runs the game in her apartment with her boyfriend. This is Thursday, around 2pm. She asks if I can drive to the detention center to give a ride home to the three who spend the night, and part of the day, in jail.
She and boyfriend are charged with running an illegal gambling est., and a player was also arrested. He was playing in a game that was busted (girl was also a dealer in that game) almost 2 years ago. Apparently, his attorney (yeah, he hired an attorney instead of paying the roughly $300 fine) has been getting his court case pushed back time and time again, hoping they just drop it.
He was in court almost 2 weeks ago, and the cops ask if he knows the girl who runs the game, and if he plays there. He answers no to both.
Cop recognizes him as we are having our paperwork done during the bust, says since you lied to me 2 weeks ago, you are going to jail tonight, too.

And to the poster who said this earlier, you are 100% correct. They were expecting to find a hell of a lot more than just a poker game. They had "weapons" on the search warrant, and tried testing for multiple narcotics through the apartment. Found about 3 joints worth of pot in the back bedroom.

Careful, pal...it may well be an insane asylum, but its MY insane asylum.

so true though. 2 more years and i'll never step foot in south carolina again. and damn sure not columbia.

I'm not originally from SC, but I do live here now and am quite proud to say so (with all the U.S. history here). Why all the hate? I won't get into politics, but as far as poker... raked games are illegal much like a lot of other places. No one's going to raid or bother you for playing poker at an unraked home game. When they finally legalize it Myrtle Beach will be a MECCA.

I know... let's all start picking on New Jersey! That's always a fun time...

FYP


Crazy that they need to take the time to raid a poker game with all the other social perils in that state

Still nothing in the news that I can find. Just a rumor?

If Myrtle Beach ever builds a brick and motar casino it could reach to huge proporsions!!

Ok let's set the record strait. It was my game that got busted on Wednesday night. It is correct that a 22 year old millitary kid named chris who lives in the same apartment complex as the game, came into the apartment at 7:15 and bought in for $100 (turns out Richland county had given him these twenties and recorded the serial numbers). At 7:35 a judge signed a search warrant based on the text messages the informant was sending to officers who were waiting with a judge. At 8:15 a battering ram was used to take the door down. What they found was 12 very nice upstanding citizens playing a little poker and watching tv. They found no weapons. They were able to find 2.5 grams of marijuana which has a street value of $55 so this is a huge take down for the sheriffs drug team. They confiscated three large flat screen televisions, two poker tables, poker chips, cards, three personal computers and all cash in the building, including a change jar in my bedroom that might have had $15 in pennies and quarters in it, another big take for the sheriffs department. The two of us running the game were charged with illegal gambling and arrested, we spent 17 hours in jail. One player was arrested but it was strictly a cop being an *******. All remaining players were ticketed and released. They did not search players' cars and most players were lightly patted down, no major searching. Players left with the cash they still had in their pockets and no cell phones were taken either. This is an incredible waste of time for the sheriff department. They had 8 deputies working over time in personal vehicles for six hours, not to mention all the paperwork processing that will go on for days. We tried very hard to run a safe friendly game and it's unfortunate that this ******* had to ruin it. He was the first person taken out of the apartment and he was not ticketed by the sheriffs. His name is listed in the search warrant as the informant. I wish you all the best in your future poker endeavors.

Hey my buddy. Thanks for the ride On Thursday!!! and for keeping the poker community updated on the local happenings. South Carolina has the worst unemployment rate, highest rates of violence against women and the best use of 8 deputies time is to raid a poker game and find NOTHING