Casino Crime Roundup: Florida Cops Seize 146 Gambling Machines, $195K in Cash

Posted on: October 7, 2024, 02:27h. 

Last updated on: October 7, 2024, 02:37h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Recent raids of four illicit gaming operations by Florida authorities led to numerous arrests and the confiscation of 146 slot machines, as well as $194,770.

Sheriff Wayne Ivey
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, pictured above. His office took part in gambling raids. (Image: Florida Sheriffs Association)

The Brevard County businesses were shut down last week following the court-ordered searches. Details on the shuttered businesses and the identities of those arrested weren’t released to the media.

The searches were undertaken after an investigation by the office of Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey and the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC).

We are grateful for the partnership we have with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and the continued attention on investigating and shutting down these predatory illegal casinos,” Lou Trombetta, executive director of the FGCC, said in a recent statement. “Sadly, the money these unlicensed, unregulated facilities take in is essentially stealing from the patrons who frequent these establishments, and because they are unlicensed, there are no player protections or benefits to the community like regulated facilities.”

The FGCC called the amount of money seized “significant,” but added “it does not represent the magnitude of funds that fuel these illegal gambling operations.”

Agents with the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement will continue to investigate and partner with local law enforcement agencies throughout Florida to curb illegal gambling.

Second Suspect Arrested For Louisiana Casino Theft

Cops have charged a second person for allegedly stealing $68K from a roulette machine at Boomtown Casino & Hotel New Orleans.

Michel Francklin, 57, of Miami, was extradited to Louisiana on September 24. He was charged with three counts of being a principal to altering gaming equipment and three counts of theft, according to the New Orleans Advocate.

He and a second person allegedly rigged a video roulette machine, according to the report.

Michael Shea, 33, of Coral Springs, Fla, previously pleaded guilty to altering the machine while at the gaming property in August 2022. Shea was arrested on February 22, and pleaded guilty on May 6 to altering gaming equipment and theft valued are more than $25K, the report said.

The pair’s activities were detected in surveillance video at the Harvey, La. gaming property. Casino security guards then notified local police officers, who launched an inquiry.

Police determined that the pair were at the gaming property for three days. On one day, the duo cashed 12 tickets for $31.5K. On a second day, the two cashed nine tickets for about $19K. The suspects returned on a third day when they cashed an unspecified number of tickets for more than $17.8K.