Firsthand Account: JB’s
by Dan Michalski, Nov 18, 2006 | 6:09 am
From a Pokeratizen at JB’s last night:
JB’s had about 20 SWAT and uniformed officers. Came pouring in the front door around 10:30 with guns drawn, including automatic weapons. Three tables were going. Players were issued citations.
About five of them remained in hoods and sunglasses identifying the house players. Dealers and house cats were cuffed and were still there when the players were told to leave. There was a paddy wagon outside, so I’m assuming they hauled them off to jail. News cameras were outside shooting footage. No Dallas SWAT film crew inside this time.
Easycure says:
November 18th, 2006 at 10:28am
House players or undercover cops?
DanM says:
November 18th, 2006 at 11:49am
I suppose it’s possible they could be one in the same.
ALT HED: Poker Brasco?
dealer says:
November 18th, 2006 at 12:28pm
No, I think the person was saying that the undercover cops were wearing hoods and sunglasses because they had earlier infiltrated the game, and were there to point out house-guys and dealers to the cops. There were NO houseguys that were undercover.
Phoenix says:
November 18th, 2006 at 8:04pm
It was sad, just got out of jail. Yeah, it was undercover players [understandably emotional but still potentially libelous deleted — dm].
DanM says:
November 18th, 2006 at 8:14pm
You JUST got out? Wow, that seems like you were in there for kind of a long time. Is everyone just getting out now, or was that unique to you?
cubacabra says:
November 19th, 2006 at 3:54pm
It was a long time. All of us were finally released at appx 10 pm. We all spent 11-12 hrs in a holding cell until our arraignment then another 6-8 hrs upstairs.
Phoenix says:
November 19th, 2006 at 8:36pm
I got out early because of my loving boyfriend, and my friends too because of their loving boyfriends. We were also in the “IRS” federal building being questioned. And for the unique part, no. I always watch a players hand when their in motion of folding and betting. I dont want to give it away online. But everyone I have talked to knows what to look for now.
Phoenix says:
November 19th, 2006 at 8:37pm
Its so sad, Im soooo jobless befor Christmas, Dan! can I work with you?
DanM says:
November 19th, 2006 at 11:06pm
There is an undercover tell? Oh, wait a minute … I know what you’re talking about.
😉
Karridy says:
November 20th, 2006 at 12:33am
I Phoenix is referring to the trademark brown substance under the thumbnails of the “players” in question… And most of DPD for that matter. Or maybe it’s simply that their gay lovers need to work on their hygiene and/or they themselves should wash their hands after making #1.
Phoenix says:
November 20th, 2006 at 1:45am
yes, I was talking about the brown substance. And I knew from that substance that jackie’s and Ace high was hit. :>
Tomd says:
November 20th, 2006 at 1:13pm
What’s the brown substance?
TommyTwoToes says:
November 20th, 2006 at 2:14pm
brown substance = feces
busted dealer says:
November 20th, 2006 at 3:15pm
[comment temporarily deleted, pending judicial review — dm]
Scared little gambler says:
November 21st, 2006 at 12:14am
too bad the “you know” sports guy was’nt there playing that night. That would have made for a great story for those news camera’s.
John says:
November 21st, 2006 at 4:07pm
Sports guy wasn’t there last time raids went down, go figure his station was the one covering the story that time.
soda says:
November 22nd, 2006 at 12:32pm
they should find a big black one and put it in them if they have nothing better to do :::::angry:::::::
Former Dallas Pokerer(erer) says:
November 22nd, 2006 at 3:20pm
As a former dallas rounder, a former underground dealer/partner to a (not so) private room, I wasn’t really surprised to see all this go down. The one thing that does surprise me is that they didn’t wait a week and let the holiday action start up with a higher player count and money in play. A few things to state to those that were effected in this latest round to rain on Dallas’ parade.
I love poker…my brain goes retarded crazy if I don’t digest a few long session for a couple of days. After my last episode with law enforcement and the paranoia that lingered as repercussions, I cold turkeyed the Dallas scene and made my way to surrounding states and a few circuit events (they make for a nice vacation even if I got bad beated after playing for 10 hours in a tourney). All the road/air time I encounter on the ventures gave me plenty of time to overanalyze the Dallas scene and a few problems that have been unspoken. Actually, let me take it back, many speak of it, but the greed doesn’t allow them to follow through. I can’t count how many private halls there are in the metroplex….it seems like a Starbucks epidemic (god knows they both rake the same amount). I have yet seen any of these rooms fight the legal war to legalize poker in our state. No bribing of lobbyist or petitions conjured up for a good old fashion hippie-style protest. There is so much donations coming from neighboring states (Louisiana) to keep gambling out of Texas so they can bus out all our elderly to pull their one armed bandits. In return, they spend about 5% of it back into the state to run busts and tidy up this S.B. state. Look at the rallies of the immigrants this past summer. Even if it didn’t do much, it raised the matter to the everyday person. Maybe if that was to happen, the non-poker playing citizens would see something more insightful than “Illegal Dallas Poker Ring Gets Busted” headlines. As every poker reads this, they have a million thoughts of footnotes left out. It’s almost like walking into a movie when 3/4 of it has passed.
Also to the workers of these halls, chin up. I know if you saved a little of that chedda tip money then the legal matters are more or less a freeroll if you think about how much in taxes you’ve saved. I’m not bad mouthing your choice of work, I love most of you, especially the few that have posted on this article…just trying to help with the coping process. Few things I learned was if I’m going to do something illegal, save enough to bail my ass butt out and to hire good legal representation. Also I tried to keep enough in savings for the occassions like the hall closing down or a bad run of tippers. I know cute asian girl dealers with loud mouths can find another place haha.
I loved being able to hit up 4 places a night and only use 1/4 a tank of gas. Hell, if a place served a good meal that night, I’d prolly stop in for a few hours and tried to donkey the college kids. But as I stated earlier, I can’t afford the legal bad beats and I’d feel extremely bad if a place got closed on my behalf. The funny side of this is the halls that still email me and call/text my cell about a game after I haven’t played in town for over a year and I’ve told them countless amounts of time to stop. I guess the new dealers they’ve hired didn’t get the memo.
Pokerati on the other hand is the one good thing going for the Dallas scene. Very informative without revealing too much. Just what’s going on around town and around the poker world. I’ve had the pleasure to have Dan sit down at my game in the mist of thick smoke as he ate, lost a couple of hundred, checked out the scenery and left. Anyhow, this site is a good not-so internet petition on making cardrooms legal…with a dry comedic side. Keep fighting the good fight.
EDIT: I just realized that all the Patron from last night prolly has not exited my body. Therefore, please forget what I said, you’re welcome for the wasting of your time.
Former Dallas Pokerer(erer) says:
November 22nd, 2006 at 3:22pm
oh, the scratch html doesn’t work for commenting…boo
Pokerati | Texas hold’em blog » Blog Archive » Instapoker says:
January 24th, 2007 at 9:17am
[…] Speaking of court, WOODY the Pokerati commenter is at trial today, as in right now, in DALLAS for his involvement in the GOOD FELLOW’S raid. He’s plead NOT GUILTY, and the TRAFFIC COURT hearing his case isn’t used to having SWAT TEAMS testify. […]