tampatrib.com
Agents Pounce On Stardancer
By STEPHEN THOMPSON spthompson@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 15, 2003
MADEIRA BEACH - Federal agents on Tuesday swooped down on a half- dozen properties linked to Stardancer Casino Cruises, raiding offices in the Tampa Bay area and South Carolina and seizing six vessels - including a gambling ship still operating out of Johns Pass. According to a copy of a search warrant obtained by The Tampa Tribune, the agents aimed to confiscate records ``concerning the personal and business tax affairs'' of company owner and President Samuel A. Gray Sr. and his family.
The sweep is the latest blow to Gray, who is living in Pinellas County but whose business is based in Little River, S.C.
A Stardancer gambling boat was repossessed in Tarpon Springs in September; Gray moved one out of Little River to replace it, but all that was left of the Tarpon Springs operation Tuesday was a shuttle boat, which was also seized, authorities said.
Another operation, in Port Richey, went by the wayside after a judge restricted it because shuttle boats on their way into the Gulf of Mexico were scraping the bottom of the Pithlachascotee River.
Now, because of the seizure of the boat at Johns Pass, the Madeira Beach gambling-at-sea venture is expected to die, too.
``I think we're done,'' ticket office manager Jackie Ramsey said as she watched agents with the FBI, Internal Revenue Service and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. take evidence, including documents and bags of coins.
Alycyn Culbertson, spokeswoman for the Treasury Department, would not say what Gray is suspected of doing. She said the sweep was orchestrated by the U.S. attorney's office in Toledo, Ohio, where the chief executive of an Ohio bank was indicted last year.
Mark Steven Miller is accused of embezzling $40 million from the bank and investing much of it in Stardancer.
In addition to the gambling ship at Johns Pass and the shuttle in Tarpon Springs, four other Stardancer vessels - three gambling ships and a water taxi - were seized by federal agents at the International Ship Repair and Marine Services dry docks in Tampa. One of the gambling ships had arrived Monday night for repairs, said International Ship President Tad Humphreys. The others were being stored.
Agents showed him a warrant to search the latest vessel brought in, Humphreys said.
The boats likely will stay put for a while. International Ship also subcontracts with the government to store seized vessels.
Gray, who has not been charged, could not be reached for comment.
Reporters Michael Fechter, Andrew Meadows and Lisa Davis contributed to this report. Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 823-3303. |
