Two women, Carole Lynn Hopkins (53) and her daughter Heather Lynn Hopkins (31) were recently charged with running an illegal video poker operation at four different locations in Statesville, North Carolina.

They were both charged with one count each of operating video gaming machines and allowing gambling in a public house according to a news release from the sheriff's office that was released February 4th.

On January 31st sheriff's detectives served four search warrants at the same time to four different addresses, three of which are located on Barkley road and one more on Salisbury road.

The decision to search the four locations comes after a month long investigation revealed that patrons were playing video poker at the locations above and received cash winnings that were earned from machines.

The investigators seized all 16 video poker machines from four locations that are all owned by Carole Lynn Hopkins along with cash and firearms that were also discovered, reported Sheriff Phil Redmond. Both mother and daughter are currently free on 300 secured bonds while they wait for further action from the courts.

- 2008-02-06