Waco Willie Whistler Slot Machine
Waco Willie Whistler Slot Machines
Matt McHugh, Actor: Freaks. Matt McHugh was born Mathew O. McHugh on January 22, 1894 in Connellsville, PA. He was born into a show business family, joining his parents, brother Frank and sister Kitty on the stage as soon as he learned to talk. When Matt was fourteen, he performed an act with Kitty, but by 1930, the family had abandoned show business altogether. Soon thereafter, in 1993, I began my very own collection of Melody in Motions starting with my first piece – Wild West Willie that played the tune “Back in the Saddle Again.” For the next 15 years my father and I had a sort of gentlemen’s competition going to see. We also sell used poker machines and the IGT slot machines. Choose from our comprehensive collection to find the best slot machine suited for your casino or your private game room. Gambling can be a lot of fun but it’s only as entertaining as the machine you’re playing on is functional.
Waco– As the case against Raed Alzreiqi progressed, the prosecutionshowed item after item of evidence on a large screen.
Videoof the gambling parlor operator unspooled before jurors' eyes asundercover detectives of the Waco police pointed out his actions andthose of his “attendants” with the red, squiggly dot of a laserpen.
Theofficers appeared at the points on the tape mentioned in the droningseries of questions and answers, pointed to the items of evidencethey obtained such as money they were paid when their keno numbers orslot machine spins came up winners, and identified the items inevidence bags they logged into the property room.
Theysaid of the currency inside the little transparent bags, “Irecognize my handwriting,” when asked how they knew it was theevidence they deposited therein on any certain day.
Ineach case, Assistant DA Chris Bullagian would ask them, “At anypoint, did the he offer you to pick out any of the stuffed animals?”The answer in every case was, “No.”
Thepoint is that the violation of the Texas Penal Code under examinationmakes the distinction that a gambling device or any scheme involvinggames of skill or chance are perfectly legal – unless money changeshands when one “wins.”
Atthat point, the offense involved becomes a Class C misdemeanor forthe player and a Class A misdemeanor offense for the one who isoperating the game, neither of which are punishable by time inprison. The maximum penalty is either 6 months in the county lockup,or a year in confinement and fines of $2,000 and $4,000 respectively.
Ifa winner is rewarded with a prize of a decorative pewter platter or afuzzy stuffed rabbit, it's perfectly legal unless the “gift” ismore than 10 times the worth of the original wager.
Inthe testimony elicited from the women who ran the “General Mart”at 1808 W. Waco Dr. during the months between late December 2009 andthe day the police served the search warrant in August of 2011, noone recalled a gambler selecting any of the loud, flashy, tawdrymerchandise that has lain so many years in the glass display cases ofthe gambling parlor.
Themarginality of the neighborhood and the commercial property itself isaccentuated by the obvious squalor and general filth made so obviousby the unpitying glare of the video cameras and digital stillphotographs snapped at the time.
Thepeople sitting around in little swivel chairs before the shabbilyconstructed electronic slot machines don't look like they were havingall that good a time at their wagers – at least not at the momentwhen their freedom was up in the air. None of them were arrested.
Thereis little glamor to be obtained in a place like 1808 W. Waco Dr.Gamblers are treated to free soft drinks and bags of chips and othersnacks as they play.
Thereare the pictures of such items as two pharmacy bottles of Hydrocodonepain pills, a subcompact semi-auto pistol in a drawer, and the stacksand stacks of spiral-bound notebooks chronicling the amount paid “IN”on each machine, and the equally laconic amounts penned inbackslanted feminine handwriting, the amounts paid “OUT” on anygiven day.
Noteswere kept on the liberality of the pay-outs of the machines, notingthat machine number so and so of the total of 13 shabbily constructedcomputer monitors housed in flat black painted cabinets made ofparticle board, was doing “awesome!” - or the occasional missive,“Not worth Sh_t!” when the figure is preceded by a minus sign.That means the establishment paid out more to winners than themachine took in.
Perhapsthe moment that crystallized the presentation of evidence andtestimony came when a detective identified a Western Union creditslip for an international wire transfer of money to foreign shores.The document showed that Mr. Alzreiqi sent $500 out of the country,tax free.
Thefaces of the jurors, all of whom wore the casual costumes ofhard-working men and women, seemed to turn to stone when they sawthat bit of evidence, a cash register tape blown up to many times itsactual size, depicted on the big screen in the dimminished lightingof the courtroom.
Thereinlies the evidence that could send Mr. Alzreiqi to the insitutionaldivision of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Had no moneychanged hands on winning and losing wagers, he would have beeninvolved in a perfectly legal pursuit. Similarly, had theestabishment been operated by, or by the agent of, a non-profitfraternal, religious or civic organization, gambling for money
Infact, they were chosen for their ability to remember the faces ofothers among the ranks of the steady players. Only they were paid incash. Persons unknown to them were paid in “gift certificates,” awager that gave them little incentive to keep coming back.
Whenconsulted about the nature of the organized crime statute under whichMr. Alzreiqi was prosecuted, Section 71.02 of the Texas Penal Code,his defense counsel said with a grim smile, “My problem with allthis is that out of all the people involved in all this, he (Mr.Alzrieqi) is the only one who is being prosecuted.”
Waco Willie Whistler Slot Machine Jackpots
Thejurors were charged to make two findings on two counts of engaging inorganized criminal activity. Did the defendant engage in illegalgambling activity in a combination with two or more others?
Theiranswer to both questions was - yes.
Ashe awaited the verdict, Mr. Alzreiqi, a slightly built man with anolive complexion and pronounced Eurasian features, asked defensecounsel Doug Henager if he could leave for awhile.
Mr.Henager patiently explained that he was free to go, but that if thejurors sent a note out to the judge asking a question, or if theysuddenly returned with a verdict, he would have to be available. Hewas told not to go too far away. The time was 4 p.m.
Andso, the kingpin of the “combination” spent his last few minutesof freedom for the foreseeable future sitting utterly alone on abench in the third-floor rotunda of McLennan County's rococo 19thcentury palace of justice. The felony offense is punishable by notmore than 10 years imprisonment or less than two, a $10,000 fine,and/or both.
Askedif one could make a snapshot of him, he replied with a polite smile,“I am thinking I do not like this very much.” The jury returnedtheir verdict at 4:30, within 15 minutes after taking a restroombreak and reassembling in the jury deliberation room.
Theprosecutor had earlier estimated each machine had a net yield afterexpenses of about $24,000 per month - for a gross of more than a halfmillion dollars per year in positive, untaxed cash flow.