On Friday (September 19), a search warrant was conducted at a gas station in Pike County, Alabama, with investigators seizing US currency, an electronic gambling hub device, and other gambling-related items and paraphernalia.
The Pike County Sheriff’s Office has released a statement, sharing that they executed the search warrant on the premises of the Marathon gas station in the 7000 block of US Highway 231 in Brundidge.
The warrant was issued following an investigation into alleged illegal gambling activities and transactions at the venue. It was then that Sheriff’s Office investigators, Patrol Deputies, Sheriff Russell Thomas, and District Attorney James Tarbox carried out the search, with the scene being secured by members of the Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team and in coordination with Patrol Deputies and the Brundidge Police Department.
“Evidence collected by Sheriff’s Office investigators revealed numerous illegal activities to include scratch-off style lottery tickets being sold, electronic gambling games being promoted, and coin pusher style machines being operated,” the press release states.
“One of the machines being operated served as a conduit for players to insert bets, play illegal games on their cell phone via a downloaded application, and then return to the store to collect any winnings from the machine.”
The investigators involved seized over $25,000 in US currency, over 30 rolls of scratch-off style lottery tickets, an electronic gambling hub device, two coin pusher style machines, and ‘various other’ gambling related items.
Sheriff Thomas said of the raid, “I am very proud of the job performance and the time and energy that went into this case, to stop illegal gambling at this location. With this type of illegal activity and the large number of people who play these games, other crimes are also associated with illegal gambling. I want to personally thank District Attorney James Tarbox for his assistance in this case and always being just a phone call away.”
The investigation remains ongoing, with no arrests having been made. The monies and items seized will be subject to a civil forfeiture case to be filed by the Pike County District Attorney’s Office.
Featured Image: Pike County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page
