North Country Gazette



Pinellas County Trio Nabbed For Internet Gambling

Posted on Friday, 30 of May , 2008 at 7:54 pm

PINELLAS COUNTY, FLA—Three Pinellas County businessmen have been arrested by detectives assigned to the Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division who also seized cash and computers while serving search warrants as part of an Internet gambling investigation.  

In addition to making arrests detectives seized evidence including a total of 139 computers and over $14,000 in cash.According to detectives the investigation began after several complaints were received alleging that illegal gambling activity was taking place at the businesses.

The businesses were identified as Mike’s Internet Café located at 10251 Seminole Boulevard in Seminole, the Cyber Pal Café located at 32700 US Hwy 19 North in Palm Harbor, and the Hot Spots Cyber Center located at 2636 Bayshore Drive in Dunedin. Detectives conducted spot checks at each location as part of the investigation prior to serving the search warrants. The search warrants were served between 10 and 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday at three locations in mid and north Pinellas County.Detectives say that patrons of the businesses were permitted to purchase telephone cards or Internet service time which was then converted into points which they could use to play “Vegas Style” computer games on computers at each location. For each dollar spent patrons received 100 points which they could use to play about a dozen different slot, bingo, or keno games. Any points won by the patron during play were redeemed for cash on site.

While serving the warrants detectives arrested 52-year-old Steven Duke of Largo on one felony count of maintaining a gambling establishment and 52 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device. Duke is the manager of Mike’s Internet Café in Seminole.

They also arrested 50-year-ol Zbigniew Skwara, the owner and operator of the Cyber Pal Café, on one felony count of maintaining a gambling establishment and 20 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device

Also arrested was 29-year-old James Michael Hill, the regional manager for the Hot Spots Cyber Center in Dunedin, on one felony count of maintaining a gambling establishment and 60 counts of misdemeanor possession of a coin operated device.

The sheriff’s office said the investigation is continuing. 5-31-08

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Category: Business, Consumers, Courts, Crime, Florida, Government, Internet, Police, Technology

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