ATLANTA — Uche Nwaneri has gone from the field to running a restaurant
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to sitting behind bars.
The former Dallas Cowboys player was arrested after police say he was caught selling liquor at his Lindbergh restaurant after hours and selling alcohol without a license. %
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"They had a temp license, which expired, and even if they did have a current license, at 2:30am they would have to stop serving," Lt. Ellis said.
But when investigators with the license and permits division moved in on the Kompass Rose Bar and Grill, formerly known as Anchor Bar, on June 11, they said everything about the operation was illegal.
These are some of the evidence photos we obtained from the raid, which happened around 4 a.m.
Detectives tell us they seized 238 bottles of beer and 97 bottles of liquor.
"That was the main issue. It’s known as an after-hours spot so when all the other bars close, patrons looking for a place to go, go to the Anchor Bar," Ellis said.
Now we're learning Nwaneri isn't the only one who's been arrested and this isn't the first time this business has been in trouble.
Police say
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his co-owner Edawn Coughman, who's a football player who recently signed to compete for a roster spot in Arizona, has also been previously arrested.
Records show that during those arrests both men were in possession of cocaine.
“It's the exact same thing over and over and over again,” Ellis said.
We asked police how this business has managed to stay open despite violating five city ordinances over the course of a year.
“Our job is to enforce it, go out and do what we're supposed to do and after that that’s up to the city to handle it how they want to handle it,” Ellis said.