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TWO ALLEGED GAMBLING HOUSES RAIDED AT STAR CITY

By John Whipple/Lincoln County Correspondent
Saturday, June 18, 2005 10:21 PM CDT

STAR CITY -- The Lincoln County Sheriff's Department, armed with search warrants, raided two alleged illegal gambling establishments in Star City on Friday, making three arrests, seizing 74 casino-style arcade machines and confiscating over $53,000 in cash.

Arrested on a probablE cause of keeping a gambling house, a Class C felony, were Frances Burr, 59, Larry Echlin, 71, and his wife, Thelma Echlin, 68, all of Star City. Burr and the Echlins were released on their own recognizance pending the filing of formal charges after the 7 p.m. raids, said Sheriff Larry McGee.

McGee said that 11 officers from three departments executed the search warrants simultaneously at the Time Out club, owned by Burr, and the former Echlins' Day Care Center. The businesses are across Arkansas Street from each other in downtown Star City.

He said police seized 42 machines in the Time Out Club, along with $52,509.75 in cash from the machines, the building and Burr's car. Officers also seized $1,600 in cash from the 32 machines in the Echlins' establishment.

McGee said six members of the Sheriff's Department, three state troopers and two officers from an unidentified department, who were described as being "experts" on the machines, took part in the raids.

The sheriff said that there were about 20 patrons inside Time Out at the time of the raid and two customers were inside the Echlins' business. The patrons were questioned and released.

"I did the investigation to prove the cash was being paid from the machines," said McGee. "The machines themselves, depending on how they are constructed, can be legal or illegal. It's the devices in the computer, the switches and stuff, that make them illegal no matter what you do with them. And I wanted the whole package."

He said the expert officers concluded that they were illegal and that he had "several informants" who said that cash was allegedly being paid out from both establishments, which would also be illegal. McGee said he has been working with the Prosecuting Attorney's Office while conducting the investigation.

McGee added that he personally warned Burr and the Echlins to close the arcade business or face possible prosecution.

"All of those establishments that have the video arcades have been warned and most of them heeded the warning and shut down the first of the year," he said.

McGee said the investigation is continuing and more arrests are possible.

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