etowah packet on gambling raid

7/28/2019 Etowah Packet on Gambling Raid

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Etowah County authorities raid Rainbow City business, seize suspected bingo machines (... Page 1 of 1

Etowah County authorities raid Rainbow City business, seizesuspected bingo machines (updated)William Thornton I [email protected] By William Thornton I [email protected] the author I Follow on Twitteron June 28, 2013 at 3:19 PM, updated June 28, 2013 at 5:48 PM

GADSDEN, Alabama -- Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin said hisView full size

Entrekin said the raid happened at 1 p.m. at Center Stage in Rainbow City, 206Rescia Avenue. Investigators also arrested one person, who faces twomisdemeanor charges - one count of promoting gambling, and one count of

possession of a gambling machine. The person was later released from the Etowah County Detention Centeron $2,000 bond.

Undercover law enforcement officers went into the facility to verify the playing of the machines, saidDepartment Spokeswoman Natalie Barton.

"We have worked hard, along with other law enforcement agencies, to enforce Alabama laws that stateelectronic gambling devices are illegal," Entrekin said in a statement. "And until those laws are changed, wewill continue to do so."

Just yesterday, Entrekin turned down a request for an electronic bingo permit for CBS Supply, the developerof a proposed $200 million bingo development in the county. Entrekin said the machines came close to beinglegal, but he would not issue the permit.

For more details on the CBS Supply decision, read this Gadsden Times article.

2013 al.com . All rights reserved.

Etowah County Sheriffepartment raided a Rainbow City business this afternoon and seized twoTodd Entrekin.uspected electronic bingo machines.(Special/Etowah CountySheriffs Office)


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6=Etowah County Sheriffs OfficeFriday June 28th 2013 05:29 p.m. CDT

A d v i s o r yambling Devices Seized ' -ore Messages(Etowah County, AL) Etowah County Sheriff's Office investigators seized two electronicee more messages from Gadsden,bingo machines today in Rainbow City, according to Sheriff Todd Entrekin.labama a"Michelle Regina Garbe, 51, of Gadsden, was arrested and charged today with one count ofavigate & Discoverpromoting gambling and one count of possession of a gambling device, both aremisdemeanors." states Investigator Josh Morgan.nter a town, zip code or addressSheriffs Office investigators seized the machines from Center Stage, located at 206 ResciaAvenue, Rainbow City, at 1:00 p.m. today.Undercover law enforcement officers went into the facility to verify the playing of thegambling devices.

"As a 30 year law enforcement officer in Etowah County, we've always arrested andprosecuted anyone who brings illegal electronic gambling machines in the county," SheriffEntrekin said. "We have worked hard, along with other law enforcement agencies, to enforceAlabama laws that state electronic gambling devices are illegal. And until those laws arechanged, we will continue to do so."

Garbe was booked into the Etowah County Detention Center and later released on $2,000bond .Address/LocationEtowah County Sneriffs Office827 Forrest AveGadsden, AL 35901

ContactEmergency: 9-1-1

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the ttadiden timeoThis copy is for your personal. nomorninercial use only. You can order presentation..ready cope,:Sheriff's office investigators seized the machines

from Center Stage, at 1 p.m., according to anews release from the sheriffs office.Undercover law enforcement officers twice wentinto the facility to verify the playing of thegambling devices.

Mchelle Regina Garbe, 51, was charged withichelle Regina Garbeone count of promoting gambling and one countof possession of a gambling device.Entrekin said he believes, but could not say for certain, the machines seized were thesame ones that CBS Supply, which hopes to bring electronic bingo to Etowah County,Two electronic bingo machines were seized

Friday at Center Stage in Rainbow City and aGadsden woman was arrested on misdemeanorcharges, according to Etowah County SheriffTodd EntrekinSheriff's office investigators seized the machinesfrom Center Stage, at 1 p.m., according to anews release from the sheriffs office.Undercover law enforcement officers twice wentinto the facility to verify the playing of thegambling devices.

Michelle Regina Garbe, 51, was charged withichelle Regina Garbeone count of promoting gambling and one countof possession of a gambling device.Entrekin said he believes, but could not say for certain, the machines seized were thesame ones that CBS Supply, which hopes to bring electronic bingo to Etowah County,had tested by Gaming Laboratories International to see if they met state and localrequirements for bingo.Entrekin earlier this week turned down a request from CBS for an electronic bingolicense, saying he did not think the machines played traditional bingo.CBS Supply, the developer of a proposed $200 million bingo development in thecounty, had submitted a report from GLI. It said the SilverLine Systems machines,manufactured by Select Electronic Devices Inc., passed the standards governing legalbingo in Etowah County. Those standards include a six-point requirement set by theAlabama Supreme Court as to what constitutes legal bingo in the state.CBS Supply in a press release said Entrekin's own expert said the machines complywith the law, and the sheriff "has a duty to permit CBSs games and allow it todevelop this huge economic development project for Etowah County."Entrekin said a license for paper bingo was issued Thursday to 13th Place at CenterStage. He said he was told a sign was displayed at Center Stage saying proceedswould go to 13th Place.He said Garbe asked for an attorney when she was interviewed by investigators and


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the sgadodenThis copy is for your personal. noncommercial use only. You mn order presentation-ready copiesfor distribution to your colleagues. cbents or customers here or use the -Reprints" tool Mat appearsb-dve any article Order a reprint of this article now.

Entrekin won't release bingo machines, wantsthem destroyedBy Andu PowellTimes Staff WriterPublished: 71tesday, uly 9, 2013 at 4: 1 4 p.m.Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin hasrefused to release two electronic bingomachines and a computer server seized lastmonth as gambling devices in a case in whichthe criminal charges have been dropped, andhas begun the process to have them destroyed.Entrekin said he doesn't know what the

Iequipment is worth, but thinks it's veryILE -Marc Golden Gadsden limesFIL E - Sheriff Todd Entrekin talks about a casevaluable.t a press conference, Monday, O ct. 8, 2012, atthe Etowah County Sheriffs Office in Gadsden,

"Istill believe it's an illegal machine, and based Ala.on that, I'm going to file forfeiture proceedings on it to have it destroyed," he saidEntrekin said he has given the paperwork to District Attorney Jimmie Harp."I look forward to running over them with a bulldozer," he added.Attorney Roy McCord is representing Michelle Garbe of Gadsden, who had beencharged with promoting gambling and possession of a gambling device, bothmisdemeanors. McCord said he asked Entrekin on Monday to release the machinesand server to Garbe since the charges were dropped and no crime had beencommitted.Entrekin, however, in a letter Tuesday to McCord, said the property was seized fromCenter Stage in Rainbow City because his office had reasonable cause to believe itwas being used "in a manner inconsistent with Alabama law (i.e. in furtherance ofillegal gambling)."Entrekin said he would not be in a position to release the property "absent an orderfrom an appropriate court."McCord said he and Garbe are studying their options. He said he has been told themachines are owned by CBS Supply, which had hoped to develop a $200 millionbingo development off Interstate 59 near the Etowah-St. Clair County line. He saidthe machines and server were in his client's possession when they were seized June28.


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McCord and his client could challenge the forfeiture to try to get the machines back,Harp said, adding, "I'm sure they will."Copyright 2013 GadsdenTimes.com All rights reserved. Restricted use only.


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etowah packet on gambling raid

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