In a complex of bars at the corner of Emogene and Florida Streets in Mobile, you'll find the Rear Pocket, a long established pool hall at the rear of the building.
It's where deputies and sheriff's narcotic investigators seized something that hasn't been discovered in some time.
"They did a number of operations over the last several days, you know, from what I was briefed on,” says Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch, “and so what they found through the investigation was some illegal gambling taking place."
Just before noon today, deputies executed a search warrant at the Rear Pocket and seized six casino style "cherry pickers" gambling machines, as well as money, gambling records and notes.
"From what I was briefed on you would come in and play and then come back later,” says the sheriff, “whether it was the next day or couple of days, and then receive a pay out in cash."
Three women, believed to be employees of the bar, were arrested and taken to metro jail...
82-year-old Grace Willis was charged with promoting gambling, possession of Gambling Devices and Possession of Gambling Records 1st Degree.
Those are the same charges facing 60 year old Lisa Ann Carpenter.
45-year-old Felicia Pierce was only charged with promoting gambling.
According to the Sheriff's Office, it wasn't just gambling machines that were found inside the Rear Pocket. They also found drugs.
A quantity of what's believed to be ecstasy was found behind the bar, while an undisclosed amount of what investigators suspect is cocaine was discovered under the sink in the women's bathroom.
Sheriff Burch says it was, in fact, complaints about drugs that brought investigators to the corner complex in the first place.
"The primary complaint was about drug sales and people leaving, involved in drugs, driving at high rates of speed."
But Tuesday night, the Rear Pocket was closed, not because of the drugs, says the sheriff, but for taking a gamble that didn't pay off.
"I don't gamble," says Burch. “I'm not opposed to it. What people do with their money is their own business. However, it's currently illegal in Alabama. And when you get complaints, you have to follow up on them."
There was a time when these kinds of gaming machines were not that uncommon across the county and the state. But that changed in 2001, when the state supreme court issued an opinion that the machines were unconstitutional in Alabama.
An online tip was sent to our Crime tips page on our website.
-MCSO
Grace Marie Willis
- Promoting Gambling
- Possession of Gambling Devices
- Possession of Gambling Records 1st Degree
Lisa Ann Carpenter
- Promoting Gambling
- Possession of Gambling Devices
- Possession of Gambling Records 1st Degree
Felicia Suzanne Pierce
- Promoting Gambling
Evidence Seized:
- Six(6) casino style “Cherry Pickers” gambling machines
- U.S. Currency from machines
- Gambling records and notes
- Suspected Ecstasy from behind the bar
- Suspected Cocaine from under the sink in the women’s bathroom