Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 12, 1990                   TAG: 9004120646
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: By LAURENCE HAMMACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

JUDGE WARNS OPERATORS OF CHARITY BINGO IN ROANOKE

However, Roanoke General District Judge Richard Pattisall took under advisement the cases of two bingo operators accused of exceeding a state-mandated $1,000 daily limit on jackpot bingo prizes.

Pattisall said he thought that George Fox and Patsy Hendrix, sponsors of bingo games at a Williamson Road parlor, did not show a "conscious intent" to violate the law.

Bingo is being scrutinized by city officials amid allegations of widespread fraud and misuse. Soon after Fox and Hendrix were charged last month, City Councilman David Bowers called for an audit of all of the city's bingo operations.

Even though proceeds of bingo go to charitable causes, Pattisall noted that "there's a profit motive involved" among competing bingo operations.

"There has got to be a level playing field and everybody has got to play by the rules," he said. "It is not fair for one organization to have to struggle against the odds that are offered illegally by another organization."

Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Joel Branscom had asked that Fox and Hendrix be fined $500 "so this kind of thing doesn't get out of hand any more than it already is."

And even though the misdemeanor charges were taken under advisement, court officials characterized the hearing as a "warning shot" intended to show bingo operators that violators will be prosecuted.

Teresa Craighead, owner of a competing bingo parlor who was involved in bringing the charges against Fox and Hendrix, testified that blatant violations are common in many of the city's bingo halls.

Craighead disputed defense attorney Gary Lumsden's suggestions that she filed the charges to reduce competition while perhaps overlooking the law herself at times.

"We're not trying to take their money away," she said. "We're just trying to make it fair."

Fox and Hendrix were accused of breaking a law that limits the amount of special jackpot bingo prizes to $1,000 per day. The jackpots are awarded in addition to regular bingo games that pay out smaller amounts of cash to winners.

Craighead and several other bingo players obtained warrants after they went to Bonanza Bingo on Williamson Road in February, played all the games without saying who they were, and left prepared to testify that five $500 jackpot prizes were awarded during the course of the evening.

They also collected fliers from Bonanza Bingo - which were presented as evidence - that promoted five $500 jackpot prizes to be awarded in one night.

Questions also have been raised about whether all the proceeds of bingo games find their way to charitable causes - although that issue was not a part of Wednesday's hearing.

A group that calls itself "Concerned Citizens" complained in letters to city officials last year that bingo operators sometimes falsely claimed to represent charitable organizations.