A disturbed poker player in the 2019 WSOP has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges after spending months undergoing mental health recovery to be able to stand trial.
Ken Strauss Pleads Guilty to Terrorism Charges
Last year will be remembered fondly. It was a year without the novel coronavirus and a year in which the 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) events could take place as scheduled.
However, one anecdotal incident from last year involved Ken Strauss, 45, a disturbed poker player, who dropped his pants at the table and threw a shoe.
His behavior spiraled out of control so quickly that night that he had to be arrested and escorted out of the Luxor casino after he jumped on a craps table and pulled his pants for a second time that day.
He was disqualified from the $10,000 buy-in event, too. Now, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal Report, the player has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges. He spent two weeks in custody after the Luxor incident, but his release didn’t make things any better.
Upon release, he started tweeting, suggesting possible shootings in Las Vegas and tagging President Donald Trump whom he referred to as “my friend.” His tweet specifically read:
“FYI my friend @POTUS will be on all stations tonight starting at 7:29pm ET. Forget about your political opinions and grow the fuck up now! This is very serious life news involving 42 states that are no longer going to exist. Watch and learn and perhaps like!” read one of the now-deleted tweets from July 23.”
A few days later, he threatened any casino that would ban him from entering the casino properties. He specifically tagged The Venetian, appealing to be “left alone,” and that “shootings were taking place all over Las Vegas.” In the same tweet, he asked the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino to get his belongings “immediately” as he was coming once the President had declared it safe.
The next day after this tweet, Strauss was arrested on The Venetian’s casino floor. The police were responding to a call about a suicidal man who was threatening to harm patrons or himself should anyone dared go close to him.
Final Arrest and Pleading Guilty to Terrorism Charges
Strauss was arrested and taken out of the property reportedly saying “kill them all” to the police officers. Following the arrest, Strauss got specialized help and had to spend months in recovery before he understood the charges he was facing.
According to the LVRJ, Strauss pleaded guilty on Thursday during a video conference and was sentenced to two years of probation by District Judge Mary Kay Holthus. As part of this probation, he will have to steer clear of Clark County for at least two years and not enter Las Vegas casinos.
He will also have to sign for regular psychiatric treatment. An interesting fact of Strauss career as a poker player is that he managed to finish 122nd in the $5,000 no-limit hold’em six-max event.
That amounted to $7,402, and the better part of his $8,646 official earnings from poker.
