22 detained in Texas gambling bust
A gambling bust has resulted in twenty-two individuals being detained in connection with illegal gaming in Texas.
According to the report from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, a total of sixty gambling machines were seized alongside $67,350. Citations and charges were issued as part of the bust that took place at Royal Room 777 in the 2300 block of East Southcross Boulevard.
Texas gambling bust nets authorities cash and gambling assetsThe news of the bust, initially reported by KSAT, included an in-depth interview with Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar. He spoke of the mechanics involved in the illegal activity and the parties responsible.
Those complicit in the bust included 18 gamblers and four employees of Royal Room 777, said Salazar.
“It was one business establishment, but broken into two,” he said. “One part had the machines where people gamble, on the other part, what seems to be the money side of the operation.”
Three of the four detained employees will face charges, including Randy Hinojosa, Jason Garcia, and Jacqueline Gonzalez.
The Sheriff’s Office has levied gambling promotion, keeping a gambling place, possession of a gambling paraphernalia device, and gambling-organized crime charges against the trio.
The fourth employee, Jeannete Zavala, was alleged to have denied entry to the property and was seen “locking doors” to deter the authorities’ access.
Bexar County cracks down on gambling denSalazar said, “For what seems like legal reasons, they (Royal Room 777) were trying to keep some separation between the two. We are looking at filing a possible engagement in organized criminal activity as well.”
The eighteen players at the gambling establishment have all been issued Class C citations, which is a misdemeanor in the state of Texas.
The Bexar County Sheriff stated that the two establishments tried to work around the legal loopholes of the state legislature with the distance between the playing and payout spaces.
“You play over here, but you don’t receive the payment over here; they (Royal Room 777) give you a token to go over to the next business and redeem that token for cash payment. That is what makes it illegal,” continued the Sheriff.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is now hunting for the owner, or owners, of the establishment as part of a wider case.
“We know that this is a busy business strip center, and we would ask for people to be patient with us as we conduct this operation,” concluded Salazar.
In related news, the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) made a sizable seizure of 249 illegal slot machines and $194,262 in “suspected gambling” proceeds in Port Richey.
“Illegal casinos are not part of regulated gaming in Florida. These operations exploit vulnerable individuals, create an uneven playing field for lawful businesses, and bring unwanted crime and disorder to the communities in which they operate,” said Director of Gaming Enforcement at the FGCC, Carol Herold.
Featured image: KSAT via YouTube
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