Spreading the word
Police in Florida arrested two men for allegedly running an illegal gambling operation in the back room of an arcade. The Narcotics Unit of the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) searched a Showtime Casino on Monday after receiving complaints that the facility had slot machines.
similar establishments around town got word about the police presence
Officers visited a property and could see gambling taking place. Shortly after confronting one of the employees, similar establishments around town got word about the police presence and told patrons to leave.
Making two arrests
Detectives visited another Showtime Casino in the area and could see a couple of employees acting as lookouts, locking the door as each customer entered or exited. The detectives gained entry and warned all the gamblers present that it was an illegal operation and that they had to leave straight away.
They then arrested Amey Naik and Mevin Rodriguez for being employees of a gambling establishment. Both men met bail and will have an arraignment hearing in the coming weeks.
An ongoing issue
This is not the first time these operations have come to the attention of law enforcement in Charlotte County. The Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Gaming Commission already gave numerous warnings to arcade owners about offering illegal gambling.
The CCSO has observed these operations shutting their doors for a short time when they hear about law enforcement crackdowns only to restart just a few days later.
educated citizens that they can face a misdemeanor charge if caught gambling
Officers have educated citizens that they can face a misdemeanor charge if caught gambling at one of these facilities and that they should seriously consider their actions.