41 Cited for Gambling After Warehouse Bust

Police cited 41 people with gambling after executing a search warrant at a local warehouse with the help of federal agents and a National Guard unit.

Police said they asked for backup Friday night because they believed drugs and guns would be inside.

"This isn't a friendly game of poker. This was a situation where there's people that are making profit, there's drugs there, guns there, and we have to make sure that everyone is safe," Capt. David Wulff of the Cary Police Department said Monday. Cary called on Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents for support,.

The warehouse, located at 233 “M” E. Johnson St., is leased by Matthew McCoy, 25, of 2013 Bulon Drive. He was charged with one count each of gambling, possession for sale of alcoholic beverages without permits and unauthorized possession of liquor.

In addition to breaking up a large-scale poker operation, officers confiscated some heroin, Wulff said.

William Tillman, 45, of 5724-D Valley Court in Raleigh, was charged with one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and gambling.

Thirty-nine others were charged with gambling:

Bob Elliott, 56, of 620 W. Jones St. in Raleigh; Ivan Hsu, 26, of 12425 Carabey St. in Cerritos, Calif.; Marco Lugo, 24, of 1521 Wedgeland Drive in Raleigh; Lawrence Wiggins, 31, of 7012-B Longstreet Drive in Raleigh; David Algood, 21, of 11830 Dan Maples Drive in Charlotte; Tammy Watson, 42, of 6820 Greenmeadow Drive in Raleigh; Dameion Rutherford, 33, of 4914 Highgate Drive in Durham; David Bradshaw, 38, of 3810 Grey Harbor Drive in Raleigh; Cecil Massengill, 61, of 607 Church St. in Benson; and Rodney Strickland, 37, 4605 Aviary Circle in Apex.

Also, Benjamin Dawson, 39, of 107 Hilton Ave., Apt. 2 in Durham; Peter Lenk, 26, of Manor Village Way #50 in Raleigh; Francisco Rivera, 43, of 110 Streamview Drive in Cary; Ian Dressel, 24, of 102 Pennsbury Court in Cary; John Schachte, 47, of 101 Torrey Pines Drive in Cary; Dena Wright, 28, of 4621 Landover Dale Drive in Raleigh; Evangelos Liatos, 61, of 5005 Lady of the Lakes in Raleigh; Jason Reed, 33, of 712 B Greenfield Drive in Garner; Heather Honeycutt, 29, of 5326 Crescentview Pkwy. in Raleigh; and Joseph Turecky, 37, of 242 Caudia Lane in Cary.

Also, Thongsavanh Vongprachanh, 33, of 1424 Summit Park Blvd. in Apex; Johnny Lyons, 32, of 312 Burgess Circle in Broadway; Karim Olweean, 25, of 5533 Vista View Court in Raleigh; Brett Marshall, 35, of 2633 Cottage Circle in Raleigh; Matthew Jennings, 28, 1083 Mclemor Drive in Clayton; Lorimer Covington, 70, of 139 W. Main St. in Garner; Brian Vick, 25, of 5608 Big Sandy Drive in Raleigh; Nishant Patel, 29, of 309 Adelaide Road in Holly Springs; Diane Smith, 51, of 3808 Kingfield Drive in Apex; and George Smart, Jr., 45, of 5702 Williamsbury Lane in Durham.

Also, William Rich, Jr., 30, of 2827 Sterling Park Drive in Raleigh; Raymond Gunter, Jr., 28, of 800 Grimm St. in Sanford; Harold McClain, 41, of 100 Calibre Clase Drive in Raleigh; Benjamin Phillips, 24, of 109 Bebington Drive in Cary; John O’Connor, 21, of 3504 Song Sparrow Drive in Wake Forest; Oliver Prince, 27, of 309 Edgewater Drive in Broadway; Paul Smith, 51, of 3808 Kingfield Drive in Apex; Gregory Gunter, 27, of 6705 Bradley Road in Sanford; and Edward Brown, 41, of 308 Glen Bonnie Lane in Cary.

“While we realize and appreciate that many friends and neighbors enjoy playing cards and other games in good fun as part of their recreational activities, doing so for money simply isn’t legal in our state,” Wulff said.