A practical judge

02/23/2008

Holding true to your principles can be rewarded with reason and practicality, two disgruntled Canadian poker fans found this week when a judge discharged the duo without a criminal record, following a police sting operation last year.

Neil Faderson and Rellen Orcullo were arrested along with 55 others after a May 2007 police raid on cash games around the western city of Winnipeg (see previous InfoPowa report). "Operation Kaleidoscope" involved around 60 officers shutting down illegal games at three local bars along with a condominium.

Provincial Court Judge Rocky Pollock displayed remarkable insight and common sense when he said: "Some people are astounded that this matter is in the criminal courts. Not everyone in Manitoba likes that if you want to play legal Texas hold-em you've got to go to the game where the rake is going to the [Manitoba Gaming] Commission."

However, the judge urged citizens to contact their Members of Parliament if they wanted the laws changed, before handing down his ruling.

Faderson is a student while Orcullo is a mother of two running her own food-supply business, but police claim the pair were dealers who helped facilitate the illegal games. Faderson and Orcullo admitted that they knew the club owners were taking a rake of between one and three dollars per hand but didn't feel they were doing anything wrong.

More than 50 other Canadians arrested in the sting operation will avoid a court appearance after agreeing to enrol in a ‘positive lifestyles’ program run by the Salvation Army that includes education on problem gambling. A handful of other players and dealers have elected not to accept plea deals, and trial dates have been set for the spring of 2009.