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Jul 29, 2008 9:48 pm US/Eastern
Seward Fire Dept Under Fire For Poker Tournaments
SEWARD (KDKA) ―
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The volunteer fire department in Seward rented its facility and allowed money-raising poker tournaments to be held there on at least three occasions.
KDKA
State officials say a fire department in Westmoreland County raised thousands of dollars through illegal gambling.
The volunteer fire department in Seward rented its facility and allowed money-raising poker tournaments to be held there on at least three occasions.
Unlike bingo, poker games are illegal.
"We rented the hall to this outfit and they give us a percentage and I mean we have a $250,000 fire truck to pay for," Dave Patterson, former fire chief said. "This is a town of 150, 160 people in a borough - how are we going to pay for it?"
The fire company reportedly made more than $40,000 on the deal. But since the state says Texas Hold 'Em games are illegal, the Attorney General's office wants the profits which have already been deposited in the fire company's account.
"As hard as it is for a volunteer fire department to raise money other than a bingo or some other single evening function, the state has to be forgiving somewhere," Patterson said.
The attorney representing the fire hall says that only the men who organized the poker tournament will be charged.
No one from the fire company has been charged with any kind of criminal conduct and the company has been cooperating with the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office and State Police.
He hopes the state will return the money to the fire hall.
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