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Poker pro, Anthony ‘holdplz’ Spinella was arrested earlier this week in Framingham, Massachusetts for possessing and intent to sell 20,000 hits of LSD, Ecstasy and nitrous oxide in a case reportedly tied to a California drug dealer. Police arrested Spinella, 24, of Waxhaw, North Carolina and two other men, Daniel Karabchievsky, 21, of Newton; Jared Joseph Roberge, 23, of Brooklineon Saturday, Nov. 3, at 6:50 a.m., after an investigation, prosecutor Maggie Pastuszak said in Framingham District Court.
A detective was watching Roberge and Spinella on Franklin Street and saw them twice duck behind cars when police cruisers drove by, the prosecutor said.
The pair got into a car and drove off, and the detective pulled them over on Pearl Street.
"[The detective] observed a blue nitrous oxide canister near Spinella's legs, as well as several balloons," Pastuszak said.
Balloons are typically filled with the nitrous oxide and then sold, she said.
The officer noticed that Spinella appeared to be trying to hide something in his jacket: a plastic bag containing a crystal-like material, later identified as Ecstasy, Pastuszak said.
While police were speaking to Spinella and Roberge, who was driving, Karabchievsky walked up to the car. He admitted to police he was with Spinella and Roberge.
In an odd twist, Spinella was overheard at the police station speaking to someone on his cellphone advising the person on the other end that ‘police had confiscated some, but not all, of the drugs’. Roberge was overheard calling his brother, asking him to contact the man the money was wired to for bail money, Pastuszak said.
Each of the men were charged with possession of LSD with the intent to distribute, possession of nitrous oxide, possession of Ecstasy and conspiracy to violate state drug laws. Roberge was also charged with driving with a suspended license.
Pastuszak asked Judge Robert Greco to hold Spinella on $5,000 bail and Roberge and Karabchievsky on $3,000 bail.
Police seized $15000 as part of the investigation.
In April 2011, Spinella won the 2011 Battle at the Beach, Pompano Beach and its $174,870 cash prize. He also cashed out in three of this year's World Series of Poker events.
- Ace King, Gambling911.com
