Monday, August 20, 2007

Snake Eyes in Gambling Can Be Good But It May Mean Murder When Gambling Debts Are Involved! Steelman and Beck Face Charges


Last night HBO "Big Love" ended with rattle snakes having been put in the bed of a Polygamist who had bought a gambling business. Off the t.v. screen, Christopher Steelman, 34, and Herbert Beck, 56, are charged with scheming to collect on a gambling debt by using rattle snakes. Colorado investigators said Matthew Sowash (the alleged victim) is the owner of Amateur Poker Tour in WheatRidge. The accused are allegedly involved in an illegal poker operation. Sowish apparently did not pay the money he owed them, so Steelman and Beck apparently planned on dropping the victim into a container with rattlesnakes. After the victim was bit, then they could dump the body on a trail and make it look like an accident. Matthew Sowash is the owner of Amateur Poker Tour in Wheat Ridge. Apparently Sowash owed the accused men $60,000 according to Jim Shires of the Jefferson County Sheriff's office. Sowash's company apparently staged Texas Hold'em-style poker games in Denver area bars.

"You can get together with your friends and bet on your poker hands, that's ok. But if somebody charges you to play in that game, that's an illegal operation," said CBI spokesperson Lance Clem who is quoted on CNN.Com. The alleged victim apparently received threatening e-mails. Steelman's and Beck's bail is each $500,000. They are charged with conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and extortion. Beck and Stelman are innocent until proven otherwise.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a scary story. If true, these guys are sick!

Lynn

Anonymous said...

The idea of being fed to the snakes is more than scary if it is true!

Jill

Anonymous said...

Crooks not much better than Braddy had they been successful.


Bob

Anonymous said...

Why are gambling and threats with snakes so logically connected...

Is this reality imitating t.v. or vice versa?

Ms Calabaza said...

This reminds me of Indiana Jones . . . Does the law have consequences for those who plan out torture such as this? Murder is murder, but it seems like having someone suffer like this deserves extra punishment. . .

Anonymous said...

Creepy snake.

Legal Pub said...

For some reason the threat of a kill by rattle snake has apparently become more popular. Big Love is set in Utah. The bed covers were removed and on the bed under the covers were the snakes.

In the Colorado case, they were apparently planning to throw the victim in an enclosure with the snakes. I can't imagine how horrible that might be...

Anonymous said...

Innocent yeah right. This plan, if true was beyond cruel.

Anonymous said...

Sowash must have owed a lot of money!

Anonymous said...

wonder how it all turned out...