24 arrested on gambling charges

GAINESVILLE - A South Hall gambling raid has resulted in the arrests of 24 people.

The bust followed an investigation into complaints from people about a house in the 4200 block of Winder Highway.

Lt. Scott Ware, MANS commander, said agents received additional information "from several cooperating sources" and were able to confirm through their own surveillances a large number of vehicles parked at the house a couple of nights a week.

Agents went to the house around 11:00 Tuesday night with a search warrant.

Inside, officers say they found found each room set up with poker playing tables, a food buffet and snacks, tobacco and alcoholic beverages. They say there 26 people in the house and 24 of them were arrested.

Lt. Ware says agents seized two firearms, two personal computers, four large flat screen televisions, numerous poker playing apparatus such as playing cards, tables, chips and an electric currency counter. Also seized was about $13,000 from players and dealers. Ware says more arrests are expected.

Agencies participating in the raid were the Hall County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, the Gainesville-Hall County Gang Task Force, the Hall County Sheriff's Office, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Those who were arrested are:


*Sonny Joe Guy, Age: 34, Oakwood, Ga.
Charge: Commercial Gambling

*Donald Lee Merz Jr., Age: 24, Braselton, Ga.
Charge: Commercial Gambling

*Travis D Hart, Age: 23, Lawrenceville, Ga.
Charge: Commercial Gambling
Gambling

*Sarah Elizabeth Pritchard, Age: 24, Duluth, Ga.
Charge: Commercial Gambling

*Justin Lee Godsey, Age: 26, Atlanta, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*James Harold Shepard, Age: 27, Atlanta, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Harvey Freedman, Age: 56, Hochton, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Charles Luther Ashburn, Age: 37, Braselton, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Gregory Langston Motes, Age: 37, Oakwood, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*James Long Jr., Age: 48, Dacula, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Beverly Ann Grindle, Age: 55, Gainesville, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Cohen Landau Motes, Age: 28, Gainesville, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Mark Anthony Rowland, Age: 30, Dacula, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Michael Judy Smith, Age: 33, Braselton, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Stanton Lee Jacobs, Age: 27, Atlanta, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Kristi Jill Motes, Age: 33, Oakwood, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*David Randall Bynum, Age: 41, Flowery Branch, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Terry Michael Linder, Age: 20, Buford, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Ryan Matthew Jacobs, Age: 26, Atlanta, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Louis A George, Age: 33, Dacula, Ga.
Charge: Gambling

*Glynn Scott Smith, Age: 26, Duluth, Ga.
Charge: Criminal Attempt to Gamble