Police seized $118,000 and arrested four people during a raid on 101 Poker Club in Katy, Texas, in an investigation into alleged illegal gambling. The card room reopened less than 24 hours after officers entered the premises.
Houston police raided the club on Thursday, Oct. 22, with guns drawn. The reason for the operation was not immediately clear. On Saturday, the Houston Police Department said its Vice Division and the Harris County District Attorney's Office had seized funds and arrested four suspects, who were charged with engaging in organized criminal activity.
The department did not provide details of the alleged illegal activity. As of Saturday afternoon, charges were not listed online by the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
Four arrests and a pending charge
The arrested individuals were identified as Stephen Hohman, Brian Keegan, Laura Respondek and Randolph Reynolds. Charges were also pending against a fifth, unnamed suspect.
Police released photographs that appeared to show poker games in progress during the raid, alongside images of seized chips, cash and a money-counting machine. Video filmed outside the venue showed several police vehicles in the parking lot and officers blocking the entrance.
Players were released after police entered the room, while dealers and other staff were detained. At least one staff member was arrested, and the club was back open for business within a day of the raid.
Questions over the club's operating model
Texas law permits poker games if operators do not collect a rake, against a backdrop of strict state gambling restrictions. The usual model used by card rooms in Texas is to charge players a seat fee based on time. People familiar with 101 Poker Club's operations said it did not follow that approach, charged membership fees and had been taking chips from pots.
The raid adds to a wider police crackdown on Houston-area card rooms that authorities say are skirting the law. Lucky J Social Club was raided in May in an operation that used drones. It reopened soon afterward and is now offering additional table games beyond poker, which are not legal in Texas.
