SMYRNA - A Cobb County officer who was the dealer in a Smyrna poker game has resigned from the police department after being caught in a commercial gambling operation that was part of an undercover sting Tuesday night.

Christopher George Soltes, 33, of Marietta, had been employed with the Cobb County Police Department since April 1991. He was a beat officer out of Precinct 5 in northwest Cobb, which serves the Dallas Highway and Macland Road areas.

Soltes was charged with one felony count of commercial gambling and booked into Cobb County Jail. He was released on $5,000 bond, said Nancy Bodiford, spokeswoman for the Cobb Sheriff's office.

Soltes was the dealer in the gambling operation and took monetary tips from players. He resigned from his position at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sgt. Dana Pierce said.

"The Cobb County Government, Department of Public Safety and Police Department does not tolerate this type of behavior from its employees," Pierce said.

Police were tipped off to a possible gambling operation and set up surveillance on a townhome in the Vinings Forest complex off Atlanta Road in Smyrna.

"Once they realized what was going on, they sent in an undercover agent," Pierce said.

Members of the Marietta/Cobb/Smyrna Organized Crime Intelligence Unit raided the operation after the undercover agent played a game of Texas Hold'em, he said.

Paul Miller, 42, of Smyrna was also arrested in the sting. He is charged with commercial gambling, keeping a gambling place and gambling. Five others who were playing poker at the townhome will face misdemeanor gambling charges, Pierce said.

The gambling equipment, including chairs, tables and chips, were confiscated from the townhome.