Sunday, March 18, 2007

Investigators are looking into whether officers with the Indianapolis
Metropolitan Police Department frequented a Northeastside poker club shut
down earlier this week. Meanwhile, the department on Thursday raided a
Northside carwash, arresting three people on preliminary charges of
promoting gambling and seizing five handguns, gambling paraphernalia and
$1,800 in cash. It was the third such raid since the beginning of February
and the second this week. Police insisted the recent focus on illegal
gambling wasn't part of any new policy initiative. "No, we've been
conducting these investigations for a number of months, and they're coming
to fruition," said Matthew Mount, metropolitan police spokesman. "It's a
continuing, ongoing campaign we have against any illegal activity." But the
raids and the internal investigation were raising anxiety both inside and
outside the department. Mount said the internal affairs branch has been
investigating for more than a week allegations that IMPD officers played
poker or worked security for the Indianapolis Pinnacle Club, 3936 Pendleton
Way. "We are extremely interested in any information regarding any IMPD
officers who may be involved in any illegal clubs or visiting any illegal
gaming establishments," Mount said. An Indiana State Police officer was
placed on desk duty Wednesday after he was cited in connection with a raid
on the club. Trooper Kyle D. Freeman, 30, a seven-year veteran assigned to
the Indianapolis post, faces a preliminary charge of illegal gambling, a
misdemeanor. He was among 60 people who police said were playing poker
Tuesday when metropolitan police vice officers shut down the Indianapolis
Pinnacle Club. An internal investigation will be conducted, 1st Sgt. Dave
Bursten, a State Police spokesman, said in a written statement. Sixty poker
players, including Freeman, were issued court summonses and face preliminary
charges of misdemeanor illegal gambling. Police arrested three men they said
were running the games -- Ryan Roe, 36, Donald Kincaid, 65, and Richard
Harvey, 28 -- on felony charges of illegal gambling. Kincaid faces an
additional charge of carrying a handgun without a license. The carwash
raided Thursday at 148 W. 38th St. has been raided many times over the
years, including in December 2003, when police found now-City-County Council
President Monroe Gray Jr. in a city-owned car in the business's parking lot,
according to a police report. Gray said he never went inside and was merely
talking about city business while parked outside the carwash. The carwash
has operated under several names over the years. On Thursday, the name
Mike's Car Wash was painted in light blue letters on the side of the
building. The business is not part of the Mike's chain with multiple
locations in Indianapolis. Police arrested four people, and 17 others were
cited on charges of illegal gambling and visiting a common nuisance. "It was
just a matter of time before they raided the place," said James Bradley, 74,
one of the people who received a citation. "They didn't ask me anything,
they just gave me a citation." The carwash, a former service station on the
northeast corner of 38th Street and Capitol Avenue, was raided around 12:45
p.m. Thursday. As in previous years, metropolitan police said they had
received complaints about gambling there, mostly card games. They went to
the business with a search warrant after getting information from someone
who had gambled inside. Arrested on preliminary charges of promoting
gambling were: Marvin Colbert, 53; Michael Smith, 59; and Michael Smith Jr.,
38. Deangelo Dupree, 46, and Smith Jr. also face preliminary charges of
carrying a handgun without a license.