Sheriff busts Cherokee Club for serving booze

Whitley County Sheriff’s deputies seized nearly $1,500 cash, 152 cans of beer and 28 bottles of assorted liquor after raiding a club outside of Corbin early Saturday morning as part of a bootlegging investigation. About 1:30 a.m., Sheriff Lawrence Hodge and several deputies executed a search warrant at the Cherokee Club, which is located 3444 Cumberland Falls Highway. He said the club also goes by Karaoke Tyme, but the people in charge of the Karaoke Tyme have stated they were hired by the Cherokee Club and had nothing to do with the alcohol sales. Hodge said his department has been investigating the case for four to six weeks. “People have called and complained. The businesses in Corbin are paying their dues and doing it the right way. This bunch is just throwing up shop,” he said. Hodge said the department had made a controlled buy of alcohol the weekend before last and again Friday night/early Saturday morning before making the raid. Deputies also seized three video poker machines and one coin pusher during the raid in addition to various business records and a sign listing drink prices. About 30 people were inside the club when deputies raided the establishment Saturday morning. Police ran criminal background checks on all those present in the club. Deputies gave drivers a portable breath test before allowing them to leave and required patrons to ride with a sober driver. Club operators claimed that the establishment was a private club, but Hodge said that it doesn’t meet the guidelines. Hodge said that he isn’t sure how long the club has been in operation, but that it had about 117 members, according to business records. The Cherokee Club membership application states that the purpose of the club is to support a museum and learning center in Corbin, and to support the Kentucky Native American Mobile Museum in Corbin, as well as providing funds for other worthwhile projects directed at educating the public and providing for the needy. Club rules state that membership fees are $50 per year, club members must be at least 21 years old, and that no open containers of alcohol may be carried into or out of the club. “Club management reserves the right to refuse service to anyone who appears intoxicated. Club management reserves the right to call a cab for any member who appears to be too intoxicated to drive,” club rules also stated. Deputies charged club employees Kenneth A. Phillips, 52, Shelia Phillips, 59, and Pamela Kricsfalosi, 42, all of Corbin, with first offense illegal sale/giving of alcohol in a dry option territory. Deputies also arrested one patron, Michael McCune, 43, also of Corbin, on two outstanding warrants relating to failure to pay fines for drunk driving offenses. All four were arrested without incident and lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center. Hodge said that Kenneth Phillips was the manager of the club, but that the owner wasn’t present. It will be up to the prosecutor to decide if he wants to take out a warrant charging the owner, Hodge said. Deputies Brett Reeves, Josh Meadors, Brian Lawson, Ronnie Bowling and Alan Onkst assisted with the investigation.