The sheriffs have learned their lesson.

Finally.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, which last year was publicly embarassed when it had to disinvite a convicted sex offender it had invited to a charity poker tournament, has not invited him this year.

Faces were red back in February of 2008 after the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department invited professional poker player Shahram Sheikhan to be a celebrity guest at the department's annual charity poker tournament, the Memorial Poker Classic.

After Poker Helper broke the news that Sheikhan, a convicted child molester who had served time in prison for sexually battering two young girls, had received the invite, the sheriffs reversed course and disinvited him.

No such controversy this year.

The sheriffs recently announced that the third annual Memorial Poker Classic will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, California, USA, outside Los Angeles.  This year's invited celebrity guests are poker pros Mark Seif and Kelly Kim.

The Classic, a no-limit Texas hold ‘em tournament with a buy-in of $120, is held each year to benefit the Fallen Heroes Fund, which provides financial assistance to the families of law enforcement officers who are killed in the line of duty.

Top tourney finishers will receive prizes. Last year's Classic attracted 121 participants.

Thomas Somach, www.pokerhelper.com