Tuesday, October 10, 2006

A former state representative has been arrested on a felony charge of
operating an illegal gambling house. Sixty-six-year-old Travis Dowd, who
owns the Lucky Penny Arcade, was reportedly out of town when the arcade was
raided Thursday and a warrant issued for his arrest. Dowd turned himself in
Sunday, accompanied by his lawyer. Dowd posted a $20 thousand bond and was
allowed to go. The violation is punishable by up to three years in prison.
Arcades in Arkansas are legal under the law commonly known as the
"Chuck-E-Cheese Law," which allows tokens or coupon pay outs valued at less
than five dollars or less. Pay outs in cash are illegal. In 1993, Dowd was
tried in federal court and convicted of making false statements to a federal
agency. He was sentenced to one-month in jail and five-months house arrest.
Prosecutors said Dowd lied to the Small Business Association when he told
the agency he had an $85 thousand offer for his Ashdown insulation business
after accepting a $103 thousand offer for the same property.