"Amarillo Slim" Preston has been dubbed many things during his 80-plus years.
Gambler, poker ambassador and living legend are the more endearing names. Less flattering terms include hustler, outlaw and cheat - mostly from his early "rounder" days.
But nothing is as ruinous as being branded a pedophile - an accusation which has contaminated the poker world's appreciation for Slim.
In March 2003, Thomas Austin Preston, Jr., a.k.a. "Amarillo Slim," was accused of child molestation. Thereafter, the poker legend endured an embarrassing legal ordeal, saw his family ripped apart and watched helplessly as a whirlwind media circus blew his reputation away like West Texas prairie dust.
In August 2003, a grand jury in Randall County, Texas indicted Slim on multiple counts of indecency with a child. The felony charges were later dropped, but Slim eventually agreed to plead "no contest" to misdemeanor assault charges to protect his family, he claims, and avoid the embarrassment of a public trial.
He was fined $4,000, given two years probation and ordered to undergo counseling.
3 Hours with Amarillo Slim: A Transcript
Although Slim never served any jail time, he has been incarcerated from the things he craves most - respect and appreciation. While other less deserving poker players got rich and famous in recent years, Slim missed the poker boom entirely.
Many of his old friends ignored him. A planned Hollywood movie about Slim's life was dropped.
On Jan. 30, 2009 I went to a suite at the Bellagio in Las Vegas which had been arranged for our interview. The rules of the discussion were that there were no rules. Slim would have to answer every single question posed to him. Otherwise, I would not publish the transcript. Slim agreed to these terms.
The interview lasted three hours, with Slim's associate Michael Hirschensohn present. What follows are excerpts from that interview. Some questions and answers which produced no significant information were removed from this series (due to space limitations).
There were also occasional interruptions which have been edited out of the transcript. Part one of this two-part series focuses on what really happened according to Slim.
(Note: Readers are advised that some language and subject matter may be objectionable.)
NOLAN DALLA: You've been silent about these charges for nearly six years.
AMARILLO SLIM: That's right. I haven't said one word.
NOLAN DALLA: You haven't said one word publicly. You haven't been interviewed about any of this. So, why have you waited so long to tell your story, and why is now the time to come forward?
AMARILLO SLIM: Contrary to all these charges and things, I've always been a family man. And now after 80 years I'm going to be accused of being a predator of children? No chance.
NOLAN DALLA: Let's start with the first incident. What really happened?
AMARILLO SLIM: We were all out at my ranch. I was going to show the kids [my] horses. While we were out there in the field it started raining. We decided to get out of the rain. I had four of my grandbabies in the front cab of the truck - me and my four grandchildren. They were from ages 3 up to 13 years.
NOLAN DALLA: One of the children was your 12-year-old granddaughter, named Hannah?
AMARILLO SLIM: Yeah. When it started raining, we didn't want to get stuck in the mud being out so far away. I am not sure if you're familiar with a four-wheel drive, but with my diesel pickup, the gear shift is on the floorboard.
Well of course, I did not want to get stuck in the mud, by God, and have to walk 20 miles back into town. So because we were all jammed in there, the victim - I'll use the word victim which is far from the fact to refer to the person - she was sitting closest to me. Three of them were sitting on the seat and one was really in my lap.
We were in the cab of a one-ton pickup. I said, we've got to put this thing in four-wheel drive or we are going to be out here all day [and get stuck]. I reached down there like this to shift and put it in four-wheel drive. My grandbaby was there and she had one leg [near the gear shift]. I reached over and patted her on the leg and said, "I'll bet that feels good."
She said "Yeah," and giggled. We were all in there together. The sexual harassment that occurred, I can't imagine it. Never in my life have I touched the - I'll use the words - the genitals, the breasts, kissed her on the mouth, squeezed her breasts, petted her inappropriately, except just clowning with her.
I've never touched her wrongly in my life.
NOLAN DALLA: That was the first incident [in January 2003]. But there were alleged to be others [in March 2003]. In fact, there were alleged to be three separate incidents.
AMARILLO SLIM: Couldn't have been. No, there were only two. That first one - there was nothing to it. The second was when [my grandchildren] wanted to go swimming.
We have a big pool in the backyard ... Hannah came over and got in my lap. She had on a bathing suit. She said, "I'm going to go back and swim." I said, "Go on and get your butt in the pool."
NOLAN DALLA: Were other people around when your granddaughter was sitting in your lap?
AMARILLO SLIM: There was no one else around. I can just tell you what happened. But anyone else who said what happened would just be guessing because they were not around.
So anyway, after they were all swimming and playing in the pool the kids all left and went back to Fort Worth [where they live].
About three weeks went by. According to the Child Protective Services [report], they were all playing together and [the harassment] came up as a joking matter. Hannah was telling ... you know. I didn't know anything about it until ...
NOLAN DALLA: Wait just a minute. Let's fill in the gap between the time she was in your lap at the pool and when Child Protective Services first got involved. What led up to that point? What do you think happened?
AMARILLO SLIM: She was showing off for her little sisters and exaggerated what happened. That's all it could be, because nothing really happened.
Since this alleged incident that young lady has been in my lap 60 times. You think if I would have done anything to her she would have come back and got in my lap?
Forget all the ratting now, you think she would have come and got in my lap? No chance! My God, no chance! She's never been anywhere in her life she was safer.
NOLAN DALLA: What was your reaction when you first heard that someone had gone to the authorities?
AMARILLO SLIM: I don't know, I first heard about it from the authorities.
NOLAN DALLA: How were you contacted?
AMARILLO SLIM: By telephone. They called me. Child Protective Services said, "Mr. Preston, we've had a complaint - a sexual complaint against you with one of your granddaughters."
Of course, naturally I hit the ceiling. I said, "My God that can't possibly be." They said it had occurred two or three weeks ago. They asked me, "Do you have a lawyer?" I said, "I don't need one. I haven't done a damn thing, why would I need a lawyer?"
NOLAN DALLA: Let's talk about the legal troubles.
AMARILLO SLIM: Child Protective Services investigated the incidents. There was no evidence of abuse. [The investigation] was done by Child Protective Services in Fort Worth.
NOLAN DALLA: Why Fort Worth? I thought you live in Amarillo.
AMARILLO SLIM: They live in Fort Worth. The family, I mean. My son is married and they and their daughter all live in Tarrant County. So anyway, I thought it was all over.
But then the district attorney [James Farren] - a man that I have known for many years in Randall County [Amarillo] - called me down there to his office. He said, "We've got a complaint out of Fort Worth that something happened with you and one of your grandbabies." I said, "Good Lord James, they investigated this and dropped the charges."
So, we had an agreement that when [Farren] went before the grand jury, after he had made his summation, it would also be included that on my own volition I had taken a lie-detector test. And I passed it. But the grand jury never heard that part of it.
NOLAN DALLA: You insist the charges were dropped. But felony charges were indeed filed against you by the grand jury. Is that correct?
AMARILLO SLIM: Yes. But the grand jury never let me make an appearance. I never got to tell my story. It was a cut-and-dry situation.
NOLAN DALLA: You're certainly one of the most famous people in Amarillo. Are you saying that makes you a target?
AMARILLO SLIM: Maybe so. But I know, and the powers that be all know, and the good Lord knows that I didn't offend or molest any one of my grandbabies. I raised every one of them.
When it comes time for the school clothes, it's granddaddy who provides for them. When it's time to go on vacation, I take two car loads and we go all over the country together.
When it's time for them to go to the church camps, I don't let them miss a single one ... I sent them to everything there is. We are a close-knit bunch. How in the world could there be something wrong?
Every one of them have all been at my house on many weekends since then. It doesn't make any [expletive] sense.
NOLAN DALLA: Many people suspect you are guilty because your son, daughter-in-law and ex-wife reportedly believed the allegations were true, to the point where your family was split apart.
AMARILLO SLIM: Yes that was right at one time - but that's not true anymore. All of them have since written letters about these charges saying it was a big mistake and the sexual abuse never happened.
Editor's note: At this point in the interview, affidavits were shown which are signed and notarized.
Click through to continue with part two of this exclusive. Slim goes into details about why he entered into a plea bargain and the consequences that decision had on his life and his relationships with his family.
Slim – and the professional body – owe a penance to society for these transgressions – “admits to putting his hand on her thigh and asking her if his hand felt good” – and for getting into the pool to frolic with kids – there are strict rules against that from the perspective of the concept of at least “a lifeguard on duty”; you could pop in and out, but to prop a kid up in your lap, that’s not right
JUST TRY TO PROVE YOURSELF INNOCENT ONCE CHARGES OR ALLEGATIONS LIKE THESE ARE MADE. WHAT SLIM DID, 90 PER CENT OF ALL GRANDFATHERS AND PERHAPS FATHERS IN AMERICA DO AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. THE U.S. JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ESPECIALLY THE CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ARE TOTALLY INSANE. REST IN PEACE, SLIM. YOU DIDN’T DO A DAMN THING WRONG.
His family believed he did it. If I were falsely accused of something like this, I would spend my last dime and breath defending myself.
Hannah is an adult now, until she sits down in an interview and clears his name I will always have my doubts.
would you plead no contest to those kind of charges?? no way- that tell you something righ there. we’d all scream our nice huh? sounds like a classic case of a loser lowlife being elevated by the media into some kind of folk hero. people who contribute to society are the ones we need to make movies about, not this guy
I am disgusted by the character assassination attempts in some of the comments. I cannot believe that real poker players do not understand that the prosecutor would take advantage of ANY opportunity to prosecute Slim. Besides – Who would take the word of a bureaucrat or politician over the word of a gambler?
If Slim were really a pedophile we would have heard countless stories about him buying preteen whores in Mexico. I guess some folks feel that “If you cannot be a Big Man yourself, you can at least feel better by tearing down a Big Man’.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMartin_preschool_trial
I remember when the McMartin’s (Los Angeles) were up on charges for molesting kids in the day-care center they ran. After years of jail time and bankrupcy, they were found innocent.
I met this man in 1982. He was as mean as a junkyard dog. He would cheat, steal, and rob a blind man in poker. I never liked him, and actually feared him. I did however respect him. He called it like he saw it. I the think I know is, he loved his family, and would never do anything to hurt them. If you ever touched his family member, he would hang you from the highest tree. This man was not then, or ever a child molester. I hope the Lord will let this pass, and not destroy an honorable family man. Those who pass judgement on someone they never met should look into a mirror.
Best to you Amarillo Slim
This guy came into the Barber shop were I work and he is an old pervert!!
Nobody knows.
But let me remind all you “Let’s protect the kids” fanatics about the McMartin Day Care Fiasco out in California where an entire family of adult day care workers were tried for child molestation based on the “statements” of 4-10 yr olds. Some of the kids said they were “touched” in a spaceship. Some said they were touched everyday, for hours, in front of everybody who worked there. The kids made up lies to make the “interviewers” happy. But it wrecked their lives, just the same.
I don’t know Slim from s***, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of a big, big doubt.
I agree that pedophiles should be shot. But then I’m a Texan. If I was accused of something like this I would want to fight it as publically as possible and be completely vindicated or not so I could blow my brains out. The fact that he didn’t, even if he didn’t to save the girl from testifying or because he feared jail time is a huge mark against him.
I can’t imagine what context “that feels good” would be appropriate? And I know a girl that was molested at 12 and not only did she continue to go to that scumbags house with her little friends but she doesn’t even look at it now as a big deal.
Like I said; if accused of that I’d say “Prove it or give me the death penalty. I wouldn’t let it go until there was no doubt in anyone’s mind.”
I played with slim at a table at the wsop seniors event at the rio last monday. He was in rare form. He’s still got the charm and chrisma. Pretty spry for an 80 yr old. I took a couple of pots from him..lol. Something to tell my grandkids. I believe him … and I can see where there’s room for everyone to jump to conclusions. Just remember, you’re presumed innocent . Give the guy a break. Maybe, just maybe, he’s telling the truth. Anyway, the man’s a legend … at least give him his due.
I bet that feels good dont it. Armadildo Thick.
I believe him. A young man who lived by me was accused of the same thing, by a young girl. He hung himself and then the girl said she made it up because she tried to come on to him and he refused. So no smoke without fire is b/s**t. If the same thing happened to those people and someone said that, its your word against hers/his.
I also know a young girl who lived in my street, who was late for her curfew. She told her father and brothers that a man tried to grab her on the way home. The family went out looking for any guys who met the description. Luckily she confessed before they came across some unfortunate guy. They would have left him for dead. Imagine being that poor soul and trying to tell them your innocent.
But then as those intelligent people have pointed out, ‘ there’s no smoke without fire ‘.
I’m nearly speechless at the comments in this thread.
I know Preston from some prior business dealings, and there is one thing I can say for certain – if these allegations were false, he would have fought to the death to refute them. He knew that pleading ‘no contest’ would be interpreted as guilty, but he also knew that depositions and a trial would have brought out the facts, including a likely-credible 12 year old girl.
Preston is a self-described cheat and accomplished liar (read his books for details). He has pulled off some of the most nefarious scams in gambling history. There’s nothing he can say that should convince a reasonable listener to believe him – the only thing that would have done that is a trial, which he forestalled by pleading out.
One last note – he complains that the grand jury never got to hear his side. That’s the way the system works – the grand jury’s job is to assess whether sufficient evidence exists to go to trial. The DA is under no obligation to allow him to testify – that’s what a trial is for.
I aint going to soft shoe shuffle this issue for the liberal bleeding hearts amongst you; but anyone convicted of abusing either children or the elderly should be shot.
End of.
I cant believe anyone would believe the bs his grandaughter said. Because he made a comment about it feelin good? He could have meant it in a sarcastic way like it was uncomfortable but sick minded people automatically assume he meant it fealt good in a sexual way. Its a shame people judge other people with not knowing the whole story. Weather its true or not none of us know so we shant judge. Only god can judge us. He was never found guilty, there is no evidence but hell lets condemn the man when we dont know what happened, make absolutely no sense.
You know I was molested when I was a child it’s not something you forget, what I’m saying try telling a child 12 years old to forget or not tell, don’t think its going to happen and then going back and sitting on gramps lap lol not going to happen, even if gramps was touchy feely I think by 12 years old she knows the difference, I think the old coot is innocent he looks touched and sad in his picture, I would have told the world to shove it alot sooner , and my son to!!!
ive know slim for the better part of 30 years cut up a little money from time to time things were always as he said they would be no problems playing with his customers while i dont know or want to know any alleged facts of this case i can tell you that over the years a lot of people have been falsey accused of things like this i think at the verry least we owe slim
the benift of the doubt he is the single most famous person on the face of the earth when it comes to gambling and has done so much in promoting gambling and bringing it to the fore front in amercian culture almost all the great ones are all gone now and most peple d ont know what we have lost that can never be replaced slim surly deserves th e call on this one
Will, maybe you should read the article before you comment and make yourself sound daft. Slim was never convicted, and never pleaded guilty, and has never talked about it to anyone. Thus this is exclusive, it is news, and you’re very incorrect when you say
“We don’t want to hear what this man has to say”, in fact I’m pretty sure by the number of comments that many people want to hear exactly what he has to say.
NB – I am making this comment before I read the article. I love the way the preview says “Last week he revealed what really happened in an exclusive interview with blah blah”
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED???? Wtf ?
Lets get it straight. The man pleaded guilty to being a NONCE. On one of his own family. You don’t get any lower than that. PL is plugging this “exclusive” as if it is somehow “news” and worth hearing the side of the story of a convicted paedo and well documented liar. We don’t want to hear what this man has to say. PL you have gone way down in my estimation
When Slim “won” the WSOP they didnt award a bracelet. Why? BEcause it was a fix. He is a bullshitter and a paedophile. Period, as you say in America
I still dont like it when he said: “She was showing off for her little sisters and exaggerated what happened.”
Showing off? What???!??? I want to believe this guy, I really do… but I cant.
I had an opportunity to hang out with Slim for a week just over a year ago at the HoldemRadio booth. During our conversations I brought up this whole issue and why he had kept quiet. We talked about it for hours… And from all the Info I got as well as the research I did I beleive the man to be innocent of the charges.
Being from Texas myself and having seen how incompetent Child Protective Services (I know two other families personally that were torn apart by these clowns based on false charges), are it did not suprise me that Slim was charged. Prosecutors in that part of the State are overzealous to the extreme… and from our conversations I understood why Slim chose to plead guilty to a misdomeanor.
Nolan did a great job with the interview… Got to most of the meat of the matter but of course you can’t cover it all in limited space.
Basically, if the family has admitted that nothng happend why should we, the general poker population, continue to harbor bad feelings? My whole time with Slim was a pleasure… The man was funny, gracious, informative and just a lot of fun to be around.
Wade Andrews
HoldemRadio
Slim is a great poker protagonist and long time icon. It’s a shame that his otherwise great career in poker is tarnished with the events of his past.
You were obviously being a sleazy old man with your grandkids. Touching and saying inappropriate sh** to them. u don’t need 2 b touching genitals 2 b touching someone inappropriately.
Hi I’m Troy Maclure
Hi…I’m Chris Hanson……
Slim is so full of sh** it isnt even funny! His explanations stink, they aren’t even thorough
and they explain nothing….he sounds like he is hiding so much.
I believe him. Not the first one who is being accused for no reason (other than maybe reasons we don’t see. those may be political, economical, envy or just plain hatered). If you are famous some day and someone accuses YOU, what would you do?
I’ll bet that feels good. Your disgusting, Slim.
You say that to a 12 year old girl. You must be out of your mind. You got off easy.
Since he was acquitted I don’t understand how any outsider could keep accusing this person.
I’d love to see Slim on HSP sometime.
I would like know I if there is any comment from the grandchild? Like comment nowadays.
“You think if I would have done anything to her she would have come back and got in my lap?”
That´s true. If he had molested her I dont think she would even stay in the same room with amarillo slim.
this man is innocent, seems to me. but here in america its guilty till proven innocent. money gubbin son, then he has the gall to appologize. like opps this never happened, sorry dad. what a joke. poor slim, i put him right up there with benny binion and jimmy the greek, its a shame all u d-bags on here just love seein him crash and burn. jealous de-gens most likely.
Ah men, look at us riding chivalrously to the aid of the woman against this scoundrel. “There’s no smoke without fire,” I hear you say… Man as perpetrator, woman as victim, the cycle continues for as long as men refuse to acknowledge their own rights. Is this you: Open-minded? Tolerant? Then take one minute to read the article below. Mr Slim may or may not be telling the whole truth, but to think that such injustices are impossible or even rare is naive. Thanks to those that take a minute.
i agree with the comment above…
i personally have a friend who was accused of rape when i know for sure that he didnt do it…
he went through hell over misinformation…
im not saying hes innocent but i dont think anybody here really knows exactly for sure what happened…
An accusation is a powerful thing and people in power will use it to further their own careers.
Is there anything worse to accuse a man of? I’m sure if he was guilty he would done jail time.
Prosecutors do not care if you are innocent and they do not care about the truth. They put people in jail. It is what they do. They prosecute. They don’t discern truth and they don’t care about about anything else but prosecuting.
yeah, he sounds as guilty as those duke lacrosse players…
where there’s smoke there’s fire……
I believe Slim. I think people tried to take advantage of his fame and he got screwed. I would love to see him back at a table at this years WSOP. His book was the reason I started playing poker….and beating my friends at Ping Pong with Coke bottles.
I’m not diagreeing with the previous comments. That being said, what if he is telling the truth? I mean we all know, once a man is accussed of this type of crime the public will always presume him guilty and regardless of what proof he can offer (not saying he has any) ….at best he can only be accepted as “weird”. Sad either way.
I know I’m not really meant to be taking sides but seeing as i don’t care looks like somebody has been a dirty old man. And a dirty old liar, I can’t believe he wouldn’t come out with this earlier. Just make sure he has his bullshit story ready then he can talk some more bull.
Yah, it’s always just a misunderstanding. Why don’t you have a seat right over there sir…go ahead, right over there.