The Poker Violence Report for February 2, 2010

Poker robberies have become a way of life in the United States.  Wanton criminals realize there is a nice money stash laying around at most of these games and they are prepared to strike no matter the consequences.  Gambling911.com has reportedly extensively on a recent spate of violent crimes involving high stakes poker games, all the more reason perhaps to stay home, lock your doors, and play poker online.
In Oregon, this resulted in a shooting.

Gresham police have arrested a 66-year-old Sandy man in connection with Friday night's shooting at a Gresham poker card room.

Police arrested Carroll L. Mayfield about 13 minutes after the shooting was reported at 10:40 p.m

Mayfield has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of first-degree assault.

The shooting wounded two people. One was taken to Oregon Health and Science University Hospital with unspecified injuries. He is in critical condition. The other was taken to Legacy Emanuel Hospital and Medical Center. He condition is unknown.

The Gresham Player's Club hosts Texas Hold 'em poker tournaments each day.

Police believe the shooting may have been a random act.

In Ohio, prosecutors are saying that a poker heist in Cleveland may have been an "inside" job.

Jonathan Powell, 32, of Akron, played poker with "like-minded" individuals at high-stakes poker games hosted at a Lake Avenue apartment.

He claimed to be a victim when gunmen entered, took the players money and their pants and then doused them with pepper spray.  But now Cuyahoga County prosecutors now say he was the inside man who facilitated the brazen heist.

Powell and three Clevelanders -- Reba Smith, 25, Duane Smith, 32, and Stanley Smith, 24 -- are scheduled to be arraigned on a slue of robbery, kidnapping and other charges Monday, according to the Plains Dealer. 

Meanwhile, a South Nashville man was killed at his home during a poker game when an armed robber tried to invade his home. Diamond was hit and passed away in his doorway. Corey Wall of the Metro Nashville Police Department commented: "It's important to get the killer off the street, because he went from a crime of robbery in which he was getting full cooperation to a murder in the blink of an eye."

Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com