NC Alcohol Law Enforcement agents and Sampson County sheriff’s deputies have served search warrants at four businesses that were reportedly operating as illegal gambling establishments in Sampson County. The searches, announced on Friday, were part of an undercover investigation into sweepstakes and video poker operations.
Approximately 200 sweepstakes and video poker machines were seized along with an undisclosed amount of money from the four businesses: Top Catz on Williams Street in Autryville; Roseboro Overstock on East Roseboro Street in Roseboro; JMJ Coin Laundry on East MLK Boulevard in Roseboro; and Clinton Overstock on S. East Boulevard in Clinton.
ALE agents also conducted an inspection at another business licensed by the NC Education Lottery. Agents said they found four video poker machines at Lucky Stop, located on Williams Street in Autryville. A violation report was submitted to the NC Education Lottery Commission documenting the violations.
ALE Special Agent in Charge Jason Locklear said, “Three of the 5 businesses were visited June 30, 2015 and informed that the continued operation of illegal gambling machines would be at their own risk.”
“These locations were operating machines that are illegal to possess. These operations have no oversight or checks and balances to ensure citizens are protected from criminal activity related to fraud and other crimes, Locklear added.
Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton said, “The Sheriff’s Office partnered with ALE to address the criminal activity in Sampson County. We value the working relationship with ALE and we will continue to investigate illegal operations such as these. The investigation is continuing and we expect additional arrests and charges.
Those arrested as of Friday include the owners of Clinton Overstock, Wanda Faye Milligan, 63, of Clinton and Jeffrey Scott Smith, 45, of Dublin, NC and one employee, Randall Malpass, 54, of Clinton; the owners of Roseboro Overstock, James Donald Clark, 68, and Sandra Allcot Clark, 61, both of Roseboro; the owner of JMJ Coin Laundry, Tommy Nguyen, 41, of Roseboro; the manager at Top Catz, Nicholas Maurice Maness, 37, of Robbins, NC and an employee at the Lucky Stop, Sultan Albadani, 19, of Stedman, NC.
