PENDER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SEIZES 9 VIDEO GAMING MACHINES IN TWO BUSINESSES

SHERIFF CARSON H. SMITH, JR.

P&N COMMUNICATIONS

310 US HWY 117 N. BY-PASS • BURGAW

On Friday, April 23, 2004 Sheriff's deputies entered two businesses in Pender County with search warrants and removed several gaming machines.

P&N Communications was in violation because they had 6 machines in operation under one roof. State law limits the number of machines to 3 at any given location. Three of the machines at P&N were not registered. A total of $3,553 in cash was seized from P&N and one arrest was made. Paul Robert Nowlin of Atkinson was charged with possession of slot machines (3 counts) Allowing gaming tables (2 counts) Gambling (3 counts) Failure to register gaming machines (2 counts) Posses/Operate slot machine (3counts) Operating 5 or more video gambling machines.

A small amount of money was seized from Bottom Dollar Produce and three machines were seized.

Video gambling or gaming is a serious plague on the poor and gullible members of our community. Many of these establishments operate out of a fake storefront in what we at the Blueline call "speakeasies" where you have to have a certain password or signal to be allowed entrance. These establishments operate illegally and usually without fear of law enforcement.

In New Hanover County over 50 establishments flourish in a "speakeasy" environment. The New Hanover County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Morgan, who is in charge of enforcing video gaming in the county, has told the Blueline that they do not have the manpower or funds to enforce the law. He claims that the way the law is written it is unenforcible so he does little to nothing to stop it. He also stated it is easier to arrest the victims of the video gambling joints than it is the operators, because usually victims call to complain that they were robbed and when asked how they were robbed they tell of their own gambling, which, of course, is a crime. So far to our knowledge none of the reporting victims have been arrested for making their reports. Then again there have been no arrests of any video poker places in New Hanover County lately either.

We await to see how the District Attorney's Office prosecutes those arrested in Pender County to see if something can actually be done to fight this crime.