Houston police have dismantled a major criminal gang that was targeting poker players in recent weeks. Law enforcement believe the gang was responsible for up to 20 robberies, with at least 17 of them involving people who left Lucky J’s Social Club. Two other local poker clubs have also reportedly been targets.
Officers apprehended four men following the aggravated robbery last week of a 70-year-old man. The suspects followed him home from the parking lot and tried to take his wallet. They were in the process of fleeing the scene in a vehicle when they crashed and tried to escape on foot.
expect to make further arrests in the coming weeks
Brothers Keion and Keyveon Thompson were arrested, alongside Exavier Brown and Jayden Batiste, with their court dates scheduled for October. Officers expect to make further arrests in the coming weeks.
Law enforcement spoke to local media, highlighting that follow-home robberies are common when a person visits a bank. Officers noted that this phenomenon now appears to have made its way to poker rooms in the city.
While poker clubs aren’t outright legal in Texas, they can operate under a private membership model whereby the game takes place in a private place, all players have an equal chance of winning, and the club doesn’t take a rake. The operators make money by charging membership fees.
