Two Whitley residents arrested for taking part in illegal gambling operation

Laurel County police raided this former funeral home just north of London Tuesday to break up an illegal gambling operation. Below, authorities seized money and arrested two Whitley County residents in connection with the investigation.

A Williamsburg man and a Rockholds woman were arrested Tuesday afternoon in Laurel County for allegedly taking part in an illegal gambling operation Sheriff John Root says was being operated out of a former funeral home.
 

Raymond C Wright, 45, and Shannon R. Jones, 32 were each charged with one count of first-degree promoting gambling after deputies found them working inside the building which housed numerous video poker machines

According to Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, public affairs officer for the sheriff’s department, Root and 12 of his deputies went to the establishment about a mile north of London at approximately 2 p.m. to follow up on complaints of illegal gambling at the site and serve a search warrant.

"We had received numerous complaints about this establishment," Acciardo said.

In addition to the poker machines, deputies found almost $10,000 in cash, from the poker machines and an ATM machine located inside.

Acciardo said the building is the site of the old Southern Horizion Funeral Home, but noted that has been out of business for some time.

"An establishment such as the one investigated today whose sole purpose was for illegal gambling will not be tolerated by the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office," Root stated, noting that illegal operations such as this tend to draw other illegal activities to an area.

In addition to the employees, Acciardo said two other individuals, Jerry Collier, 62, of East Bernstadt and Jerry Collier, Jr., 30, also of East Bernstadt, were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and resisting arrest, respectively.

The men reportedly came into the establishment while Root and his deputies were inside and became irate and disorderly when they were told it was closed because of the investigation.

Acciardo said the investigation is continuing and more arrests are expected.

"We are still trying to determine who the owner or owners are," Acciardo said.

Jones and Wright remain in the Laurel County Detention Center without bond.

Det. Brad Mitchell is leading the investigation. Assisting at the scene on the investigation was: Sheriff John Root, Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore, Detective Jason Back, Detective Billy Madden, Senior Sgt Greg Poynter, Deputy James Sizemore, Deputy Shawn Boroviak, Deputy Greg Turner, Deputy Robbie Grimes, Deputy Steve Hoskins, Deputy William Bo Harris, and Deputy Gilbert Acciardo.