Local News in Brief : Anaheim : Police Arrest Three in Bookmaking Raid

A Pomona couple and a West Covina man have been arrested in connection with an alleged bookmaking operation after Orange County law enforcement officials raided their homes and officers took telephone calls from people who placed more than $8,000 in bets, authorities said.

James Talley, 77, his wife, Ferrel, 66, of Pomona, and Bruce Gordon, 41, of West Covina, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bookmaking and were later released on their own recognizance, Anaheim police said Monday.

The arrests came after a 7-week investigation that was prompted by a tip that an Anaheim telephone number was being used for illegal betting, police said.

Anaheim police and investigators with the county district attorney’s office served search warrants Sunday morning on the suspects’ homes, Anaheim Police Sgt. Ron Girk said.

While officers were at the homes, they received telephone calls from people who wanted to place more than $8,000 in bets, Girk said. Police seized $21,000 in cash at the homes, as well as ledgers and other bookmaking materials, he said.

Police said the three were suspected of running a bookmaking operation that covered Orange and Los Angeles counties.