Over 100 gambling machines, $13K seized in Etowah County

ETOWAH COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - Etowah County Sheriff Jonathon Horton says 108 illegal gambling machines and over $13,000 were seized after a two-week investigation.

Horton says after following up on some complaints from residents in one East Gadsden neighborhood, Etowah County Sheriff’s Investigators and Etowah County Drug Unit opened an investigation into makeshift gambling halls. They found that it was causing unsafe issues in these neighborhoods, like traffic hazards, loud noise and music at night.

Search warrants were executed at five different locations in Gadsden on Thursday, Dec. 1, and 108 illegal gambling Machines and $13,579.79 in cash was seized, according to police. The locations were in East Gadsden, South Gadsden and Alabama City. During the execution of the search warrants, no one was present at the locations.

Police say three of the five locations had previously been delivered a “cease and desist” order signed by the sheriff and district attorney, giving the business harboring the illegal machines 48 hours to remove them from the State of Alabama. All three of those entities had simply relocated to new buildings within Etowah County.

The Sheriff’s Office will ask the courts to order the machines to be destroyed and the monies that have been seized to be turned over.

Alabama Law states: A person commits the crime of promoting gambling if he knowingly advances or profits from unlawful gambling activity otherwise than as a player.

A person commits the crime of possession of a gambling device if with knowledge of the character thereof he manufactures, sells, transports, places or possesses, or conducts or negotiates any transaction affecting or designed to affect ownership, custody or use of: (1) A slot machine; or (2) Any other gambling device, with the intention that it be used in the advancement of unlawful gambling activity.

Police say at this time, no arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing and arrests could come at a later time.

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