‘Shot houses’ raided

Published 12:00 am Friday, March 1, 2002

Features Editor

A raid on two "shot" houses in Brundidge yesterday resulted in two arrests and the confiscation of more than $1,000 in cash, 30 cases of beer, assorted bottles of liquor and homebrew and two handguns.

Brundidge Police Chief Moses Davenport said Willie "Peanut" Wilson, 48 of

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249 6th Avenue, Brundidge, and Mary Jean Davis, 48, were arrested around 4 p.m. Thursday and charged with the sale of untaxed alcohol and selling alcohol without a license, both misdemeanors.

However, Davenport said other charges could be pending and other arrests may be made..

The three were arrested on search warrants issued by district court based on an undercover operation, Davenport said.

"Wilson had been suspected of operating a shot house for years and the two women had been under suspicion for some time," Davenport said. "All three made sales to undercover agents."

The Brundidge Police Department and officers from the ABC board coordinated the effort to ‘bring down" the shot house operations, Davenport said.

"We met no resistance at either location," he said.

"We confiscated about $180 cash and mainly moonshine and homemade wine – plum and watermelon –

at 249 6th Street. The North Main address was heavily stocked with beer, vodka, gin and other liquors and a large amount of cash – more than $900."

Davenport said shot house are so called because they sell liquor by the shot.

How the suspected shot house operators acquired their stock, Davenport didn’t know.

"We do know that this kind of operation will not be tolerated in Brundidge," he said. "Most Brundidge residents earn a living legally.

"A few chose to do it the other way. I hope these raids today will send a message to anyone who has any ideas about ‘the other way.’ We will not tolerate it and they will be apprehended."

The three suspects were being processed in Brundidge for transfer to the Pike County Jail around 7 p.m. Thursday.

Davenport said bail would probably be set Friday morning.