Three people were arrested and thousands of dollars in cash were seized in early May as part of a gambling investigation by the Gainesville/Hall County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad.
According to a press release from the Hall County Sheriff's Office, MANS Unit agents worked undercover to gather evidence and obtain search and arrest warrants related to four businesses in Hall County.
Agents executed the search warrants on Thursday, May 6, at which time, $18,500 in cash was seized.
According to the release, the suspects, store managers at three of the locations, made cash payouts for winnings on video gambling machines.
The three businesses and suspects include:
- Botanica La Orquida, 1784 Atlanta Highway
- Arrestee: Brenda Sandoval-Perez, 47, of Gainesville
- Approximately $8,000 seized
- Can Pool Hall, 210 Atlanta Highway Suite 5
- Arrestee: Phong Kim Huynh, 48, of Gainesville
- Approximately $1,000 seized
- La Esperanza, 2033 Spring Road
- Arrestee: Osmar Altamirano, 26, of Gainesville
- Approximately $9,500 seized
Sandoval-Perez was arrested at the business on the day the search warrant was executed. Altamirano and Huynh turned themselves in later at the Hall County Jail. Each individual faces one count each of commercial gambling and keeping a place of gambling.
The cases remain under investigation by the MANS Unit. Changes and an arrest are pending related to offenses at a fourth location.
