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Poker tournament turns out to be bad bet for bar owners

Tribune photo by JULIE BUSCH

The Texas Hold'em tournaments at the Prime Time Sports Grill were held in the open.

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By TODD PRATT and RAY REYES

tpratt@tampatrib.com and rreyes@tampatrib.com

Published: April 29, 2009

Updated: 04/30/2009 05:41 am

TAMPA - The owners of a sports bar and grill near Lutz were arrested Wednesday night for hosting what appears to be illegal poker tournaments at the establishment, the state's Division of Alcohol Beverages and Tobacco said.

Agents stormed the Prime Time Sports Grill, 14404 N. Dale Mabry Highway, about 9 p.m. Wednesday. The restaurant's owners, Douglas and Sheila Craine, of 16740 Whirley Road, face five counts of keeping a gambling house.

Agents also arrested three restaurant employees on gambling charges: Trissa Ording, 25, of 12837 Dunhill Drive, Tampa; Brittany Brabeck, 19, of 16038 Foster Grove Drive, Odessa; and Margaret Mitchell, 30, of 806 District Court, Tampa. Also arrested was the man agents say ran the tournaments, Eric Edington, 28, of 10114 Winsford Oak Blvd. No. 526, Tampa.

The tournaments were held in the front of restaurant, out in the open, the agency said. Agents seized cards and poker chips Wednesday night.

Such poker tournaments are legal in some places where players redeem prizes, not play for money or alcohol, investigators say.

Kara Spurr of Tampa was enjoying a night out with friends at Prime Time when she noticed trucks and sport utility vehicles roll into the parking lot and law enforcement officers approach.

Spurr, 23, said she had a pitcher of beer on the way and her friends were about to order food when the agents kicked them out. Spurr said she told an investigator that she hadn't paid her $50 tab. The investigator told her to not worry about it.

She said she didn't expect any shady dealings at Prime Time because it appears to be a very clean, family restaurant.

"I've never, ever seen that happen before," Spurr said. "I knew they were doing poker there, but I didn't think anything was wrong. I'm just in shock."

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