A “semi-professional” poker player from Ansonia was arrested Thursday after Seymour police allegedly found cocaine, marijuana and two loaded guns in his car.
The suspect, John Uhlig, Jr., 33, is also a coach with an Ansonia youth basketball league, his lawyer, Edward Murnane, said in Superior Court during Uhlig’s arraignment Friday.
Uhlig, a Derby native, attended Ansonia High School in the 1990s, where he was the captain of the baseball and basketball teams.
Ansonia and Seymour police searched his home at 15 North Prospect St. Ext Thursday evening and allegedly found 1.4 pounds of marijuana and 6.5 ounces of cocaine, according to Ansonia police.
At the house, Ansonia police arrested Uhlig, along with his wife, Jenny Uhlig, 31, and his mother-in-law, 70-year-old Diana Buswell.
The drugs found in the house are worth about $13,000, according to Cota.
According to a police report authored by Ansonia Police Officer Matthew Macero, the drugs were scattered in hiding places throughout the Uhligs’ and Buswell’s bedrooms. The report said a digital scale and several rounds of ammunition were also found in the house.
“There is no doubt John Uhlig Jr., Jenny and Buswell were running a large scale narcotic/marijuana operation,” Macero wrote in the report.
In addition, he wrote: “It should also be noted that the various hiding places were well within reach of the Uhligs’ small children” — boys 9 and 6 years old — who were at the home at the time of the search.
Traffic Stop
Seymour police officer Jonathan Martin pulled over Uhlig at 1:30 a.m. Thursday on South Main Street after spotting Uhlig’s car — a 2001 Cadillac DeVille — allegedly speeding with a headlight out.
Martin said he smelled an “odor of marijuana emanating from inside” the car and saw a small bag of marijuana between Uhlig’s legs, according to a press release issued by Lt. Paul Satkowski Friday afternoon.
As Uhlig got out of the car, “a very large bag of marijuana then fell from the front seat where Uhlig was seated onto the floor of the vehicle,” the press release says. “Money of various denominations was also falling out of Uhlig’s pants pockets.”
Police found 1 pound of marijuana and 3 ounces of cocaine in the car, Satkowski said. The street value was $5,500.
Police also found two loaded guns — a handgun and a shotgun — as well as $2,200 in cash, Satkowski said. According to a police report written by Martin, the handgun was found under the car’s driver’s seat with six rounds in its magazine, and the shotgun, an unloaded 12-gauge Mossberg, was found in the trunk.
Seymour police obtained a search warrant to raid Uhlig’s North Prospect St. Ext. residence at about 4 p.m. Thursday, where they allegedly recovered a large stash of drugs and then arrested Uhlig’s wife and mother-in-law.
Poker Face
Uhlig played in the World Series of Poker in 2010 — winning $4,060 in a Seven-Card-Stud game, according to CardPlayer.com, an online poker magazine.
He made five appearance in the World Poker Finals. In 2007, he won first place in the finals, taking home $30,594 and a commemorative leather jacket, according to ThePokerForum.com.
Uhlig played in a tournament as recently as this month, when he was listed as the fifth-place winner in a No-Limit Hold’em tournament at Foxwoods casino in February 2012. He took home $5,000.
He was listed as a 10th place winner in a Mohegan Sun tournament on New Year’s Eve, — taking home $379.
A PokerPages.com profile for Uhlig lists his total winnings at $53,805.
While his attorney called Uhlig a “semi-professional” poker player, a spokesperson for the World Series of Poker bristled at the suggestion.
“If you’re professional, you play at higher stakes against better competition,” said Seth Palansky, a spokesperson for the World Series of Poker, in an e‑mail. “This guy has done neither.”
Palansky said Uhlig is more of a “recreational” player.
In the Poker Pages profile, Uhlig said he has two sons, likes long walks on the beach and lists his favorite movie as “Up In Smoke,” the 1978 Cheech and Chong stoner comedy.
Charges
Cota said Uhlig has been on their radar for possible drug activity.
He had prior arrests for third-degree assault and reckless driving, according to statements made in court.
“It was a good hit for both departments,” Cota said. “That’s a lot of drugs off the street.”
Uhlig was arraigned Friday afternoon, and a judge ordered him held in custody on a $125,000 bond until his next court date on March 5.
Ansonia police charged Uhlig with the following:
- Risk of injury to a minor
- Sale of a controlled substance
- Operating a drug factory
- Sale of illegal drugs
- Possession of narcotics
- Possession of marijuana
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
Seymour police charged Uhlig with the following:
- Possession of more than 4 ounces of marijuana
- Possession of marijuana with intent to sell
- Possession of cocaine
- Possession of cocaine with intent to sell
- Weapon in a motor vehicle
- Carrying a pistol without a permit
- Criminal use of a firearm
- Criminal possession of a pistol or revolver
- Interfering with an officer
- Traveling too fast
Uhlig’s wife was charged with risk of injury to a minor, sale of a controlled substance, operating a drug factory, sale of illegal drugs, possession of narcotics, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Uhlig’s mother-in-law was charged with risk of injury to a minor, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and sale of a controlled substance.
Both Uhlig’s wife and mother-in-law were released from custody on $10,000 nonsurety bonds.
