Former Sheriff Arrested During Gambling Sting in North Carolina

Video gambling machines can be found more and more around the country in bars, nightclubs, and even convenience stores. While most of the owners that possess these machines will claim they are for entertainment only, plenty of real money is being spent in them.

Police have gone on what seems to have amounted to a year long crusade to stop illegal gambling on these machines. The latest arrests happened on Thursday in North Carolina. Former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford was arrested.

The indictment on Medford claims that he was covering campaign expenses and a $54,000 loss at Cherokee Harrah's Casino with the illegal money.

Medford had several deputies picking up money from machine owners in their uniforms, according to the indictment. Three of Medford's deputies were also jailed in the sting.

Video Poker was legal in North Carolina up until July 1st this year. Sheriffs had the job of checking owners paperwork before machines were registered. These Sheriffs, however, took their jobs a step further and offered protection to the machine owners in exchange for cash.

North Carolina is yet another stater that has done extensive investigations into illegal video gaming in the state. Those investigations have led to arrests involving fifteen counties in the state.

December 14, 2007
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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