CHESAPEAKE — Two Chesapeake village councilmen are facing misdemeanor gambling charges stemming from an alleged operation at Chip’s Game Room in South Point.

Paul E. Hart and his son, Paul Nathan Hart, are scheduled for a pretrial hearing in Lawrence County Municipal Court on Friday.

The elder Hart, who is charged with operating a gambling house, has been on the Chesapeake council for approximately 20 years. His son was seeking his third consecutive term on council this past November, but was defeated.

The younger Hart is facing a gambling charge. Both charges are first-degree misdemeanors.

In August a South Point woman filed a robbery charge against Paul Nathan Hart concerning an incident at the gaming room place located near the shopping center on Sam’s Way off U.S. 23.

“(The woman) stated that Paul Nathan Hart called her to the front counter and had his hand on his gun, in its holster, on his side,” according to the report filed by Lawrence County Sheriff’s Detective Aaron Bollinger. “According (to the woman), Paul said she had been cheating his machines. … Paul demanded that she give him her money and he would not let her get her purse. … Paul then told her to leave the business after she gave him approximately $150 in cash.”

Bollinger and Detective Jason Newman interviewed the woman in September who told them that she frequently goes to the game room to gamble on the machines. The detectives issued the woman a summons for public gambling, a minor misdemeanor.

That same day the detectives went to the game room where they saw a pool table and counter with soft drinks.

“Behind a counter was a window,” Bollinger reported. “I witnessed numerous gambling machines in the back room with their lights on. …. I witnessed approximately 20 or more different gambling machines.”

The employee who let the detectives into the gaming room provided them with a vendor’s license and license for sale of cigarettes. She said that the business was in the name of another party, not Paul Nathan Hart.

“(The employee) acted as if she didn’t know it was illegal to gamble in Ohio,” according to Bollinger’s report.

When the detectives interviewed Paul Nathan Hart, they were told that the other party was responsible for the game room.

“(Paul Nathan Hart stated) he just receives a check from her for working on the gambling machines,” according to Bollinger’s statement. “Paul (Nathan Hart) stated that he was at the game room and saw (the alleged robbery victim). Paul (Nathan Hart) stated that he had loaned (her) money prior and when he saw her with the money, he told her to pay him.”

Paul Nathan Hart was told that a gambling room and pay out to customers is illegal in Ohio.

The next day the party Paul Nathan Hart said is the owner of the gaming room, who has not been charged, contacted Bollinger.

“According to (her), the business is in her name; however Paul (Nathan) Hart is the person who is responsible for the gambling business,” Bollinger reported. “According to (her) Paul (Nathan Hart) talked her into putting the illegal gambling place in her name. … According to (her) she does not receive any money from the business and Paul (Nathan Hart) takes care of the business. …(She) stated that after talking with Paul (Nathan Hart), they decided to close the business and it was shut down on 9/26/11.”

Detectives were also contacted by the elder Hart asking about the case against his son.

“I advised Paul (Sr.) that Paul (Jr.) was running a gambling establishment,” Bollinger’s report stated. “Paul (Sr.) acknowledged that he knew what Paul (Jr.) was doing but he was trying to stay out of it. … Paul (Sr.) stated that he was told Paul (Jr.) that he should just run his legitimate businesses in Huntington. … Paul (Sr.) was concerned as to the media attention because Paul (Jr.) has been a Chesapeake City Councilman for several years and is currently running for City Council.”

As Paul E. Hart said he was aware that his son was operating a gambling facility, he was charged with operating a gambling house, according to Sheriff Jeff Lawless.

“Because he knew gambling was going on and the ORC section for that, if you have knowledge this is happening, you can charge,” Lawless said. “(The charge came about) because the father owned the building and he had knowledge the building was being used for that.”

Both misdemeanors carry a penalty of up to six months in jail, the sheriff said.

Calls made to Paul Nathan Hart’s cell phone and to the office of Mike Gleichauf, attorney for both men, were not returned by press time.