Reyes faces more charges
Sports betting, drugs found
By Nadine Parks
Orlando Reyes
Hanahan — Orlando Reyes said it was just some friends getting together for poker. But Charleston County deputies said they found more than just cards and money the night they raided Reyes' home in the Tanner Plantation neighborhood.
Marijuana, drug paraphernalia and evidence that Reyes was operating as a bookie were among the items seized from the upscale house on Tanner Hall Boulevard, affidavits said.
Reyes, 41, was arrested again Wednesday and charged with betting and bookmaking. He was released on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.
Reyes, owner of O&R Heating and Air on NAD Road, is accused of taking bets, keeping betting records and betting on baseball, football, basketball and golf, said Charleston County sheriff's Detective Glen Campbell.
On April 4, the night of the raid, a basketball game between the San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz was on a big-screen television in the main room and on a small TV in an area where refreshments were stored, Campbell said in an affidavit. Poker players also were betting on the game, he said.
Papers listed 13 highlighted games, point spreads and wagers, the affidavit said. Some of the bets were as much as $500, Campbell said.
"This isn't the little games you bet on at the office," he said.
Reyes' attorney, Mark Peper, said his client has been forthcoming about the events of that evening but that the betting on the sports games wasn't more than $100.
"Some of the individuals that were there that Friday night wanted to bet on the sporting events that were being shown on the TVs," Peper said.
Reyes also has been charged with simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Deputies found 14 grams of marijuana behind a basket of perfumes under a bathroom sink, Campbell said. He said a marijuana pipe was on the floor next to the toilet.
Peper said the drugs did not belong to Reyes.
Reyes had no criminal history in South Carolina before the raid, his record shows. But in the 1980s, Reyes served three years in a California prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter, according to that state's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
"He was in a gang when he was a young man out in California, and unfortunately, he was involved in a gang fight where the victim died," Peper said.
Reyes recently pleaded guilty to multiple charges of betting and gaming stemming from the raid, and he paid about $500 in fines, Peper said. He said Reyes is considering pleading guilty to the other charges. All are misdemeanors.
For the betting and bookmaking charge, Reyes faces a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, Campbell said. He said the maximum penalty for each of the drug charges is 30 days in jail and fines of $1,088 for drug paraphernalia and $565 for the marijuana.
Noah Haglund contributed to this report. Reach Nadine Parks at 937-5573 or nparks@postandcourier.com.
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lillycollette (anonymous) says...
Ditto Harpo.
April 24, 2008 at 3:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/...
Apr 23, 6:27 PM EDT
Bill legalizing poker at residents' homes busts in SC House
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Legislators have folded on a bill that would legalize kitchen table poker.
A measure legalizing recreational poker games in homes was sent back to a House panel on Wednesday without debate.
The move ends the bill's chances of passing this year.
...
April 24, 2008 at 4:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
moonpie (anonymous) says...
Where you at now Richard Todd? Moron, telling everyone these "little games" should be legal. Hey make dope legal too if your smoking it in your home Richard. This is exactly the type people you get. Your the type person that if someone would have been killed you'd been all over the police. Keep digging I bet there's more. I bet Pepper's kid didn't know what he got into. Seems to be out of his league.
April 24, 2008 at 6:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Paul (anonymous) says...
Make dope legal ...
April 24, 2008 at 6:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Perspective (anonymous) says...
what a p.o.s.
Maybe he can be the star witness at the jury trials of the other defendants.
This is just the type of guy you need having a gambling operation running in your neighborhood.
April 24, 2008 at 6:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BravesFan (anonymous) says...
Anybody else want to comment on why poker should not be legalized? These guys are thugs and deserve everything coming their way. The people who place me playing Monopoly with my children and grand-children in the same category with these thugs are idiots. I know it's difficult for some of you but try applying common sense to this equation.
I can hear it now. "you gunna blame all poker players for this guy? that's not fair."
Fair? Being fair means paying $650,000 for a house and not having to live around these idiots.
I sure hope all the morons harping on the police a couple of weeks ago step up and apoligize. yeah, like thats going to happen.
April 24, 2008 at 7:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
BravesFan Ditto.
I've heard enough unverified libelous allegations against the police to gag a maggot. If those complaining literary geniuses of slander had anything of merit to offer then they could at least back it up with more than, "I've heard", "I think" or "I've been told".
April 24, 2008 at 8:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lenny (anonymous) says...
Hey Early-
The simple fact is that even if so-called "kitchen table poker games" were legalized this large scale operation would still be illegal, and no 14 grams isn't a huge bust but it does show that if you are willing to break one law you are willing to break others... Look at the whole picture not the little bit that you can attempt to trivialize today
April 24, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RTC (anonymous) says...
I haven't had anything to say about this whole shebang, but rumor has it that Mr. Reyes has bragged to his neighbors that his home is almost paid for. Considering his "real" business is not doing so well, one has to wonder how he can be so well off.
I'm sure the authorities can easily ascertain the condition of his finances.
I think a great deal more is going to come out before all is said and done.
April 24, 2008 at 8:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coccougs (anonymous) says...
I think the gambling laws in S.C. are silly and need to be revised. But a quick note - the operation Mr. Reyes was running would be illegal in just about every state but Nevada. This was not a "kitchen table game" and, as a person who wants to legalize friendly poker games - Mr. Reyes is the last guy I want as this issue's "poster boy."
April 24, 2008 at 8:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
majorjohnson (anonymous) says...
Golly gee wilikers! Isn't 14 grams of marijuana the makings of a major drug kingpin, kinda like driving 5 mph over the limit makes you a mass murderer?
We all know that speeding or playing card/dice games are the gateways to child molesting, devil worship and having oral sex on Sunday. It's time for early to get his christian taliban together and remove some heads.
April 24, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
Ho-hum. Another small time private property owner minding his own business bites the dust , because his friends and neighbors do not like his behavior. Who will be left when they come for us?
April 24, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ThePhink (anonymous) says...
Oral sex is illegal on Sunday?
Now I'm in trouble.
April 24, 2008 at 9:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
summerville_guy (anonymous) says...
If you can't trust the neighborhood bookie these days, who can you trust?
April 24, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
forget (anonymous) says...
The big problem for him is the bookmaking. And after they prove that, then he'll get the tax fraud. Think about what comes with bookmaking....what happens when someone can't pay? He didn't have just a kitchen table poker game going on. He had a whole gambling operation. And if his neighbors turned him in I don't blame them. They say your house is on the average your largest investment, and these people have half a million dollar homes. I wouldn't want this element living and operating this business next to my home and family. What happens when something goes wrong one night and someone gets a little irate over losing a large chunk of change?
April 24, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BravesFan (anonymous) says...
Okay, so I have a question for the geniuses supporting Mr. Earrings. At what point do you think the law should be upheld? Oh wait, I think I know. When and only when, it affects you or one of your family members. I guess racketeering, drugs and organized illegal sports betting aren't at the top of your lists but I like the fact that these thugs were busted. One more question for the rocket scientists out there. Do you REALLY think the $20k they found in a safe was anything other than illegal money? Your mentality of looking away until something terrible happens is the wrong answer. I commend the police for doing an outstanding job. The worse crime here is most of these morons are only being charged with a misdemeanor. If they can afford $400 - $800 to play poker then the $200 fine is a joke.
April 24, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
As a rocket scientist, I fully support the law and especially those who support the law. My friends and neighbors drafted the law, and some of my favorite heroes enforced it. Wonderful. For the non-rocket scientists out there, how far should we preempt something terrible happening? Oh, I do tend to forget, we do that already and increasingly do it more and more. Coffee can be only so hot; talk on that cell but wear your seat belt; how much fat in that burger; follow only the prescribed methods for practicing intimate relations; you cannot paint your house that color because it clashes with ours. Ho-hum, just another day.
April 24, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sbs920 (anonymous) says...
Looks like "big bubba" gonna get a little b e a n e r with some experience this time! How bout that one coldbeer ? LOL!
April 24, 2008 at 10:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
megaward (anonymous) says...
Wow, $60 worth of weed, i'll bet it only took $20k of tax dollars for such a great bust. WTG!
April 24, 2008 at 11:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
megaward (anonymous) says...
Goodthing there's no serious crime in Hanahan. So the police can focus on non-violent crimes such as this gambling menace. I'm sure the crack-heads and murders are scared whitless from this.
April 24, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BMET13 (anonymous) says...
In my opinion, home gambling and marijuana should not be illegal, but since it is, I follow the law. If any of our DC leaders had been involved, I bet that they would get off with a slap on the wrist. As for us "lower class," real world, hard working people, we pay deeply for the ridiculous laws that are created. EXAMPLE: at my son's school, a student get's suspended for 2 weeks for fighting, but only gets 3 days in school suspension for doing drugs in class. (President's no child left behind law)
April 24, 2008 at 11:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
forget (anonymous) says...
megaward- the drugs weren't the reasons they went into that house. The drugs were just "there" and illegal, so they had to be a part of the charges. The bookmaking and running his "casino" are his big problems.
April 24, 2008 at 11:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rocketscientist (anonymous) says...
WAY TO GO?!?! Are you kidding me? Reyes could have used that $60 to pay for a babysitter that would have gotten his two daughters(a 5-year-old & a 13-week-old) out of the house while gambling and getting high. Geesh! Way to go, Reyes!
April 24, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Carolina_Politics (anonymous) says...
Is this or is this not the land of the free? Was Reyes hurting anyone else by smoking marijuana in his own home? Was he hurting anyone else by operating as a bookie? He wasn't sending out Vinny to break someone's legs was he? Who was he hurting by partaking in the poker ring? What does society have to gain by putting this man behind bars? He is not a dangerous criminal by any means. He has not hurt anyone else or put anyone in danger. He has simply lived his life the way he sees fit but because the "moral majority" doesn't like it he gets locked up.
I guess I answered my own question, really. This is not the land of the free.
http://www.carolinapoliticsonline.com
April 24, 2008 at 12:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
forget (anonymous) says...
Operating as a bookie is illegal. It is illegal here as in pretty much everywhere. People DO get hurt when you partake in such activities. What happens when someone gambles too much out of their financial range and can't pay? Does the bookie say "well, better luck next time?" After they can't collect after awhile, someone tends to get hurt. There are quite a few things that people may do in their own homes that can affect their neighbors. This could have been one of them. Marijuana IS illegal even though people don't agree with that law. Even if they want to do it in their own homes. What about the people that want to do meth in their own homes? Or the ones that want to make it in their own homes? Shouldn't cooking meth IN someones home be in the interest of his neighbors? Things happen to people as a direct result of others actions.
April 24, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BulldogTLC (anonymous) says...
CP - "He has simply lived his life the way he sees fit but because the "moral majority" doesn't like it he gets locked up."
Charles Manson also lived his life the way he saw fit. That doesn't make it right. This guy didn't get locked up because the "moral majority" didn't like what he was doing. He got locked up because what he was doing was illegal.
"Was he hurting anyone else by operating as a bookie?" Very likely he was. How about the child of the guy who loses $500 on the basketball game and doesn't get their school supplies? The list goes on and on concerning the effect these choices can have on one's family and friends.
April 24, 2008 at 12:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
riddiksgirl (anonymous) says...
I don't smoke anything, but I think the government is really missing out on some serious funds by NOT allowing weed to be legal. Make it legal, put restrictions on it like they do beer, and tax the hell out of it and make this land of ours some money!!
April 24, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KidYendor (anonymous) says...
That's right riddik. We need to legalize marijuana and sell it at drugstores in biodegradable brown pill bottles, in different sizes. Then we can use the income to pay off our $9.4 trillion national debt to foreign countries. It may take a while but we can pay it off. And when it is legal, we can then begin work on taking care of the poker game issue.
April 24, 2008 at 1:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MarkAPeper (anonymous) says...
In meeting with Mr. Reyes today and seeing his demeanor, I feel compelled to respond to some of the comments. For those of you supporting Mr. Reyes, he and his family appreciate each of you. For the others, please remember that Mr. Reyes from day one has fully cooperated with the investigation, including pleading guilty to various charges. While he admits that players were betting on sporting events, he denies any active role in bookmaking or the like, and I welcome the chance to review the evidence against him prior to advising him of his rights. On a personal note, we've known since the date of arrest that these charges were forthcoming and have cooperated fully. As his attorney, my job is to represent my clients best interest and offer advice and counseling with regard to the law. If anyone has any comments / questions directed at me pesonally, please feel free to contact me at mark@peperlawfirm.com Best, Mark
April 24, 2008 at 2:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DP83Lowcountry (anonymous) says...
forget the difference between the cultivation of marijuana and the manufacture of meth is that a meth lab can explode and kill people and poison those that inhale the toxic fumes coming from the mixture of chemicals and a pot field well it can only burn and we all know where that leads to..... The Cookie Jar!!!!!!!!!
April 24, 2008 at 3:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jdbaby (anonymous) says...
Does anyone wonder why Mr. Peper is constantly in the newspaper admitting his clients' guilt?
April 24, 2008 at 3:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
forget (anonymous) says...
they were saying it shouldn't matter if they were doing it in their own house. Just trying to distinguish which illegal activities one should be able to do in their own homes. Only illegal acivities that DON"T result in blowing up a neighborhoods? And pretty much everything else goes?
April 24, 2008 at 3:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
forget (anonymous) says...
He has been gathering public sympathy for Reyes. Poor guy, was busted for playing poker with his buddies, etc. And it worked, if everyone recalls all the posts for the last few weeks. He knew the rest of it was going to hit the fan eventually, but by then he already had John Smith (the reading public) in his corner. We are potential jurors.
April 24, 2008 at 3:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DP83Lowcountry (anonymous) says...
jdbaby Mr. Reyes has plead guilty to various charges. Admitting guilt himself. stop being ignorant and read the quote peper said.
April 24, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JohnS (anonymous) says...
I will say this man has done well for himself. Doing three years in jail and then picking himself up to have a millon dollar home and a nice heating and air business.
April 24, 2008 at 3:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chudbrocktune (anonymous) says...
Forget, Your following comment "What about the people that want to do meth in their own homes? Or the ones that want to make it in their own homes? Shouldn't cooking meth IN someones home be in the interest of his neighbors? Things happen to people as a direct result of others actions" makes no sense. Cooking meth in a residential area should be illegal, because it can blow up and unleash poisonous chemicals into the air. Comparing that to smoking weed in your house is an apples and oranges comparison. Correct me if I am wrong but I do not recall anyone sparkin up a "J" and having it blow up and spread dangerous chemicals through out the community. You might as well have said "it should be illegal to make chemical bombs in your house" that would have had as much relavance to smoking weed as your comment.
April 24, 2008 at 4:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
forget (anonymous) says...
No, I was referring to illegal activities all together. And a few posters have mentioned that "it's illegal, but he wasn't hurting anyone". If that's the case, how do we distinguish which illegal activities we should be able to participate in inside our homes? How about the people that decide to sell it out of their homes? They're not "hurting" anyone, so to speak, but... You also forget the fact that he has small children in his home.
And it's not comparing apples and oranges, one is illegal and -hold on- so is the other one.
April 24, 2008 at 4:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Rebel_Yell (anonymous) says...
Can we male Lily's self-righteous comments illegal? What a goody goody. I would hate to have that ball and chain on me or one of my friends. The lady has single handily convinced me to vote for Blair Jennings for solictor due to her inability to keep an open mind on the simplest of issues. I guess she's trying to get a job out of that start up law school with the current solicitor. . . good luck and don't send a resume my way if Blair wins.
April 24, 2008 at 4:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
abitskeptical (anonymous) says...
The problem is that there are some who resort to name calling, sarcasm, & all sorts of "fancy" literary techniques such as typing "blah blah blah..." when they do not want to admit they were wrong or after they have just been proven wrong or after another's post to which they have no good answer or logical argument.
Debate & argument-as in arguing one's point- can enlighten & educate, but only for some of us it seems. Others have no interest in considering another point of view or learning from others.
April 24, 2008 at 5:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
Isn't it interesting that with all the comments on this article Rebel Yell specifically singles me out for special personal insult? Wow-what a guy!
Duh (no-brainer) -- in case you didn't notice -- this article is NOT about the solicitor's race.
The only simple issue you are qualified to explain to me is how you avoid the pain when the ventriloquist has to implant their arm so deeply to reach your mouth.
April 24, 2008 at 5:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
AND HERE'S THE VERTRILOQUIST!
Abitwhatever you and your dummy can take where it matters.
April 24, 2008 at 5:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
While Rebel Yell and abitwhatever are busy teleconferencing on their next attack on me I will say that it has become obvious that they are trying to agitate me into saying something that will get me barred from posting.
Wow-what a pair!
April 24, 2008 at 6:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RTC (anonymous) says...
I can't speak for the rest of you, but if I was ever arrested, no matter for what crime, I sure would not want a lawyer that would post on any blog concerning my case.
I find that extremely unusual.
April 24, 2008 at 6:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kerwin1959 (anonymous) says...
Now that we've moved from organized gambling to misdemeanor possession, here's a question....was he selling alcoholic drinks at his casino? Hmmm. And, if he was taking bets, he was a bookie.
I don't care if he admits his guilt or not, if his poker buddies were drinking and smoking weed, they're no better than the guy who was drinking and smoking weed and hit my daughter while she was WALKING to her car. He was so messed up he told officers he didn't see her as he came over the hill. There was no hill. She was 17 at the time.
Thank God she's alive, but she may never be the way she was prior to being hit. As for him, he walked with a fine. The other people in the car(all underage) were not charged. Those of you who say a little bit of this or a little bit of that doesn't hurt anyone; you'll think differently when it happens to your family.
While Mr. Reyes has pleaded guilty, it's surely negotiated; you don't just walk in and say, yeah, your honor, I did it. He's getting something for his troubles. Or he's taking the hit for someone who he fears. They(police) must be looking for something(or someone) else. It's too cut & dry.
Let's see....former gang member; voluntary manslaughter; ex-convict; bookie; illegal casino operator; minor drug possession.......he's a little different from my grandmother who used to play Old Maid and Monopoly with me.
April 24, 2008 at 6:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
abitskeptical (anonymous) says...
Well, for the record, I have no idea who rebel_yell is...right now I do not even know if its he or she. LC, you sure have an active & rather paranoid imagination.
Like I said, there are some who resort to name calling, sarcasm, etc. They dish it out over & over & over when someone says something they disagree with, but they cannot take even the slightest bit of a firm reply when someone finally responds to their name calling & derisive or sarcastic tirades without crying "fowl" or claiming that someone is trying to discredit them. Good grief.
Instead of providing motivating arguments which might change another's thinking, they maturely & bravely call someone a moron,use sarcasm or other tried & true intellectual literary techniques such as blahblahblah.
(yes I know I just used the sarcasm I just criticized but I just couldn't help myself this time)
April 24, 2008 at 7:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
abitwhatever: This board is not for your "personal problems and control issue".
Take it elsewhere.
April 24, 2008 at 7:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
majorjohnson (anonymous) says...
Hey early...ever occur to you I might have achieved the rank of major in the armed forces and my last name is johnson? Guess according to early my parents are bad for letting me achieve rank in the army and giving me this last name. And it's my bad on top of that because I should have refused rank or changed my paternal name.
I own no porn, there are no illegal drugs in my house and I haven't gambled since I lost $100 on a superbowl game when I was in boot camp in the 70's. I neither condone nor condemn anyones use of drugs, alohol or tobacco, for gambling, or for having sex with an consenting condults whether I would have sex with them or not. I wouldn't give a thimble of warm spit if early wants to practice whatever rediculous version of his religion he cares to practice, any more than I would if someone uses drugs as long as they don't try to use the government to force me to use their drugs or pay for them. When early starts to use our government to force his religion on me, yeah, I might get a tad upset.
I guess as long as it's earlys version of earlys religion that the government is forcing on people, early is happy.
Go figure.
April 24, 2008 at 8:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
abitskeptical (anonymous) says...
Ms. Collette-Once again you are wrong.
I think there is a little projection on the control issue & attempt to agitate thing.
I readily admit when I am wrong & am most happy when someone can correct any misinformation I might inadvertently put forth.
As a matter of fact, on another article, I invited you to correct a statement, or rather find something I could not which would back up what you put forth, but when you were caught putting forth a bunch of hooey flooey, well, we know how it turned out..you picked up your marbles & went home.
Nonetheless, since I have gleened from things you've said in other posts that you are my elder, I'll say "yes mam" .
April 24, 2008 at 8:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
abitskeptical (anonymous) says...
Oh, & I don't have any personal problems--just got a clean bill of health from my psychiatrist :)
April 24, 2008 at 8:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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