A Gainesville man is facing charges after Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad agents found gambling machines and a large amount of cash at the laundromat he operated.
"I had received more than one complaint on our tip line about commercial gambling going on at that particular location," said Lieutenant Don Scalia with the MANS Wednesday. He said they executed a search warrant at the business in the 200 block of Atlanta Highway on October 21 after their agents were able to gamble for money multiple times at the location.
"You could actually see the machines from outside the business, they were just to the left of the doorway, right up against the windows at the front of the store," said Scalia. "We located, of course the machines, and also some paperwork type evidence of the crimes of gambling."
That seizure of nine machines and evidence also included $18,518.50 in cash.
"In prior gambling cases I've done... kind of an average is $5,000-$8,000 is what they clear a month, and it can be more or less depending on what kind of machines you've got or how much traffic you have," said Scalia.
Joel Contreras Cervantes, 70, is facing commercial gambling, a felony, and keeping a gambling place, a misdemeanor. He was booked into the Hall County Jail.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2019/11/848348/gainesville-man-charged-for-commercial-gambling-at-atlanta-highway-laundromat