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Published Wednesday, September 17, 2008 in Local

Suspects in gambling, alcohol house raids identified

By Amy Lott

The Times-Herald

The identities of five people arrested by the Newnan Police Department's City Drug Unit Friday evening during three separate illegal video gambling and liquor house raids have been released by authorities.

Det. Sgt. Danny McDonald, head of the city Drug Unit, said Stanley Crowe, 49, of Newnan -- a clerk at Crazy Eights discount store on Temple Avenue -- was taken into custody and charged with commercial gambling. Nine video gambling machines were also confiscated after a complaint from the public tipped police off to the business' use of illegal pull-tab lottery-type tickets and cash payouts, he said. More arrests are expected in the ongoing investigation, according to authorities.

In a second raid, officers in the Drug Unit also arrested Guadalupe Vasquez, 46, for running an illegal liquor house at 16B Thompson St. McDonald said "a truckload" of alcohol -- including 61 cases of beer and nine half-gallon bottles of tequila -- was found inside the residence in cabinets, three huge coolers and a refrigerator. Vasquez was charged with disorderly house and the sale of alcohol without a license.

Within the liquor house -- the scene of an unrelated murder in 2007, according to McDonald -- beer was reportedly sold by the bottle and tequila by the drink.

Another illegal liquor house operating out of 165 Spring St. was busted later in the evening, McDonald said. Following up on neighbor complaints, police arrested Thelma Jean Warner, 60, for running the house, which featured a makeshift bar and sold moonshine by the shot. Beer and liquor were also offered to customers, McDonald said. Warner was charged with disorderly house and the sale of alcohol without a license.

The Drug Unit also arrested Warren Reese, 36, for an outstanding warrant out of Senoia. Perez McCrary, 38, was taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct, McDonald said.

All alcohol taken as evidence Friday night will be destroyed by police, McDonald said.