More than 15 illegal gambling machines seized at four supermarkets in Perry, police said

PERRY, Fla. (WCTV) – Earlier this month, more than a dozen illegal gambling machines were seized from four different convenience stores in Perry, police said in a press release shared Monday.

Perry police launched an undercover investigation earlier this summer after receiving a tip about a series of slot machines in stores across the city, PPD wrote. An undercover officer went to “every convenience store in the city” looking for the machines and after two weeks, ultimately found 19 illegal machines in four different convenience stores, the news release said.

“During the investigation, it was determined by the (undercover agent) that the machines he was playing were a ‘game of chance’ and did not require skill to operate, which by definition is a gambling machine,” the affidavit said. “The machine would dispense a paper ticket for any winnings and then that receipt or ticket would have to be taken and redeemed with the store clerk.”

Two weeks ago, the PPD Criminal Investigations Division worked with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office to remove all 19 machines from the four stores, PPD said. Authorities also seized cash and all “related electronic devices.”

Police have seized machines from the following stores:

Country Kitchen at 1305 West Highway 98 – 3 machines seized:

Munchies at 1200 South Byron Butler Parkway – 4 Machines Seized:

Perry Discount Food Store, also known as Choo Choo’s, at 1610 South Byron Butler Parkway – 6 machines seized:

Marathon Star Mart #2 at 2410 South Byron Butler Parkway – 6 machines seized:

No arrests have been made in this case, but the PPD has stated that they have requested an arrest warrant from the District Attorney’s Office for the following charges:

• Violation of Florida State Law 849.01, Keeping Gambling Houses
• Violation of Florida State Law Section 849.15 for the manufacture, sale, or possession of gambling machines or gambling devices

“The Perry Police Department has also referred the matter to an attorney to pursue forfeiture of the machines and the proceeds from them, pursuant to Florida law,” the statement said.

More about crime in our region:

According to police, each store owner told investigators they believed the slot machines were legal. They all said they leased the machines “from another individual for a percentage of the proceeds,” the news release said.

“Through further investigation, the owner of the machines was identified and interviewed. He stated that he had placed the machines in the stores,” PPD said in the release.

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