By By MIKE VOSS
Contributing Editor
Three people face gambling and/or drug charges after law-enforcement officers executed search warrants at BB’S Sportsbar &Billiards and the Moose Lodge in Beaufort County on Thursday night, according to an state Alcohol Law Enforcement agent.
ALE Agent Rusty King, assigned to ALE’s New Bern office, said the charges are the result of a two-month long investigation that was initiated after someone complained about illegal activities at BB’S and the Moose Lodge. BB’S is located on West Fifth Street, in the Moose Lodge’s former location. The Moose Lodge is located on Flanders Filters Road.
King said that Texas hold ’em tournaments taking place at the two establishments were not being conducted in accordance with state law.
King said charges against people associated with alleged illegal activities at the Moose Lodge have not been filed yet.
Thomas Tyrkala was charged with operating a game of chance and allowing gambling violations to occur in an ABC-licensed establishment.
David Scott Barnes was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
James Forest Yonally was charged with possession of marijuana.
None of the three men were in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center as of Friday afternoon, according to a spokeswoman at the jail. As of Friday afternoon, a spokeswoman with Beaufort County Clerk of Court Marty Paramore’s office said that office had received no paperwork concerning the
In addition, the New Bern ALE office will submit violation reports concerning BB’S and the Moose Lodge the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, King said. BB’S and the Moose Lodge face fines and/or suspensions of their state-issued permits to serve alcoholic beverages, if the ABC Commission determines they violated state law, King said.
In addition to ALE agents, officers with the Washington Police Department and Beaufort County ABC officials executed the search warrants, King said.
ALE agents are authorized to enforce the state’s gambling laws, according to the N.C. Department of Crime Control &Public Safety’s Web site.
“North Carolina law states that it is illegal for any person or organization who operates a game of chance or who plays or bets on any game of chance that involves winning money, property or anything of value shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor,” reads the Web site.