Waller County News Citizen - News
Five arrested in gambling raids
WALLER COUNTY - On Thursday, Oct. 16, agents and officers with the Waller County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Waller County District Attorney’s Office finalized a lengthy undercover investigation of illegal gambling establishments in Waller County.
That afternoon, approximately 25 peace officers acting under search warrants issued by Judge June Jackson of the Waller County Court at Law entered and seized gambling machines, gambling paraphernalia and cash from two locations in the Waller-Fieldstore area, and three locations inside the city of Brookshire.
Those arrested in connection with the search warrants executed on Oct. 16 were:
* Carol Renee Seals, age 56, Magnolia; Charge: Possession of Gambling Device; Bond: $1,000 Surety Bond.
* Tu Tuong Trung Vu, age 34, Houston; Charge: Possession of Gambling Device; Bond: $1,000 Cash Bond.
* Etelbina Lopez Barrios, age 30, Houston; Charge: Possession of Gambling Device; Bond: $1,000 Surety Bond.
* Thien Chi Ta, age 30, Houston; Charge: Possession of Gambling Device; Bond: $1,000 Cash Bond.
* Lillian Spinks Williams, age 53, Pattison; Charge: Possession of Gambling Device; Bond: $3,000 PR Bond.
Over the course of the investigation, undercover informants discovered that the said locations were paying out cash winnings in violation of the Texas Penal Code, as has been suspected by many local citizens, according to District Attorney Elton Mathis. Unfortunately, over the course of the past year gambling establishments developed in the Hempstead and Waller/Fieldstore areas, joining those already operating in Brookshire, and further increasing the size and scope of the investigation, Mathis said.
“Today’s acts are the culmination of those efforts. In addition to the arrests made today, other arrests are expected within the next two months as the evidence/records seized are examined,” Mathis said.
Running a gambling establishment is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail and/or a $4,000 fine. In some cases, owners-employees could be charged with additional felony engaging in organized criminal activity charges. Any citizen with information regarding these and other illegal gambling establishments should contact the investigator in charge R. Glenn Smith at (979) 826-8282 with the information.
The gambling houses in Hempstead were closed late last Spring as a result of a joint investigation between the sheriff’s department and the city of Hempstead Police Department.
“As district attorney I would personally like to thank the Sheriff’s Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the numerous citizens of the county who kept shedding light on this issue. Any individuals running other similar establishments should voluntarily cease operations now,” Mathis said.
That afternoon, approximately 25 peace officers acting under search warrants issued by Judge June Jackson of the Waller County Court at Law entered and seized gambling machines, gambling paraphernalia and cash from two locations in the Waller-Fieldstore area, and three locations inside the city of Brookshire.
Those arrested in connection with the search warrants executed on Oct. 16 were:
* Carol Renee Seals, age 56, Magnolia; Charge: Possession of Gambling Device; Bond: $1,000 Surety Bond.
* Tu Tuong Trung Vu, age 34, Houston; Charge: Possession of Gambling Device; Bond: $1,000 Cash Bond.
* Etelbina Lopez Barrios, age 30, Houston; Charge: Possession of Gambling Device; Bond: $1,000 Surety Bond.
* Thien Chi Ta, age 30, Houston; Charge: Possession of Gambling Device; Bond: $1,000 Cash Bond.
* Lillian Spinks Williams, age 53, Pattison; Charge: Possession of Gambling Device; Bond: $3,000 PR Bond.
Over the course of the investigation, undercover informants discovered that the said locations were paying out cash winnings in violation of the Texas Penal Code, as has been suspected by many local citizens, according to District Attorney Elton Mathis. Unfortunately, over the course of the past year gambling establishments developed in the Hempstead and Waller/Fieldstore areas, joining those already operating in Brookshire, and further increasing the size and scope of the investigation, Mathis said.
“Today’s acts are the culmination of those efforts. In addition to the arrests made today, other arrests are expected within the next two months as the evidence/records seized are examined,” Mathis said.
Running a gambling establishment is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail and/or a $4,000 fine. In some cases, owners-employees could be charged with additional felony engaging in organized criminal activity charges. Any citizen with information regarding these and other illegal gambling establishments should contact the investigator in charge R. Glenn Smith at (979) 826-8282 with the information.
The gambling houses in Hempstead were closed late last Spring as a result of a joint investigation between the sheriff’s department and the city of Hempstead Police Department.
“As district attorney I would personally like to thank the Sheriff’s Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the numerous citizens of the county who kept shedding light on this issue. Any individuals running other similar establishments should voluntarily cease operations now,” Mathis said.
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