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A number of Houston area poker players this year have been followed home and robbed after leaving a local card room. Now police here have announced they arrested four individuals in connection with an attempted robbery last week.
Four suspects allegedly followed a 70-year-old man who had just left Lucky J's back to his home, where they attempted to rob the poker player. His wife, however, screamed enough to scare the suspects away, according to police.
The suspects — Jayden Batiste, Exavier Brown, Keion Thompson, and Keyveon Thompson — fled from the home in a car, but crashed the car and attempted to flee the scene on foot before being arrested and charged with aggravated robbery of a person over 65.
Most of the prior robbery incidents — approximately 20 — have involved players leaving Lucky J Social Club, according to a report from ABC 13 News in Houston.
Keion Thompson had just received, two days prior, a deferred adjudication for allegedly pointing a gun at his girlfriend in March. He was booked on Aug. 22 and given a $30,000 bond but remained in custody as of Tuesday. His brother, Keyveon, is also still in custody and has a $20,000 bond set.
Batiste, 23, bonded out on Aug. 23, while Brown, 23, remains in custody. Police anticipate additional arrests in the coming weeks.
Houston is considered a hotbed of poker with card rooms operating in a legal gray area by functioning as private, membership-based clubs that charge hourly seat fees instead of taking a "rake" (a percentage) from each pot. This model is designed to circumvent Texas's strict gambling laws.
Authorities believe these card rooms have contributed to criminal activities in the region over the years.
Legends Poker Room in west Houston has gained notoriety for repeated violent incidents that included a robber wielding an AR-15 in 2022. He was taken down by a security guard.
Police said at the time the suspect was heard telling a man, who had a new model Chevy Corvette, "Give me your car".
Poker pro Sammy Farha was beat up there by a former dealer the year prior.
In May 2022, a suspect was shot dead near the venue during a robbery—prompting further safety concerns.
In 2019, Houston authorities raided Post Oak Poker Club and Prime Social Poker Room, arresting owners on money laundering and organized crime charges
- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com
