More than a dozen bingo halls raided and closed by state police in effort to stop illegal gambling

1 year ago 50

SHUT. YEAH, THAT’S EXACTLY RIGHT. EARLIER TODAY, WE SAW STATE POLICE PUTTING THESE SEALS ON THE DOOR BEFORE ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVE MARSHALL WENT INTO WHY THE RAIDS TOOK PLACE AND WHAT THEY HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH. BUT DESPITE THESE EFFORTS, SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAY THEY AREN’T HAPPY. STATE POLICE PUTTING SEALED FOREVER INS TAPE ON THE DOOR OF SUPERHIGHWAY BINGO IN BRIGHTON WEDNESDAY. ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVE MARSHALL NOW CRACKING DOWN ON MANY ESTABLISHMENTS LIKE IT, WHICH HE SAYS ARE ILLEGAL GAMBLING FACILITIES. ESTABLISHMENT THAT ARE HISTORICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THEFTS, FRAUD, GANG DRUGS AND ULTIMATELY VIOLENCE. AFTER OBTAINING TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDERS. STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES RAIDED AND CLOSED 14 BINGO HALLS LIKE THIS ONE FROM FAIRFIELD TO BRIGHTON ON TUESDAY. ONE WOMAN WE SPOKE TO DIDN’T WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED, BUT TELLS US SHE SAW IT ALL HAPPEN. THERE’S NUMBER THINGS LIKE THAT’S OUT TEN, TEN CARDS AT ONE PLACE. TEN CARDS IN ONE PLACE. LINING IN WITH GUNS DRAWN ON CUSTOMERS THAT WHAT MARSHALL EXPLAINED. THE LAW IS CLEAR. WHAT I SAW INSIDE THIS ROOM IS ILLEGAL IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA. AND WE CANNOT AUTHORIZE. IN FACT, IT UNDERMINES THE LEGITIMACY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW THAT TO CONTINUE. BUT THERE WAS NO MENTION OF WHY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DID AN ASSIST. DO YOU CANNOT JUST IGNORE RAMPANT GAMBLING THAT’S GOING ON ACROSS YOUR COUNTY? THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, LIKE SIR TIP IN ROCK AREN’T HAPPY ABOUT THE RAIDS. I LIVE IN EVERY THESE PLACES DON’T CALL CENTER CRIME MARSHAL PAINTING A VERY DIFFERENT PICTURE. THE ECONOMIES IN THESE AREAS HAVE NOT IMPROVED. NO NEIGHBORHOOD HAS FLOURISHED AS A RESULT OF THE PRESENCE OF THESE SO-CALLED CASINOS. BUT ROCK SAYS HE’S USED TO WHAT HE SEES AS BINGO. HALL WHAC-A-MOLE. WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, RIGHT BACK UP, I’VE SEEN IT HAPPEN FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS. YOU. MARSHALL SAYS THAT HE EXPECTS MORE RAIDS TO COME. NOW, THERE IS A HEARING SCHEDULED FOR APRIL, APRIL 21ST FOR A FINAL DECISION ON THOSE TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDERS.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall held a press conference Wednesday to address raids at 14 illegal bingo facilities in five cities, including unincorporated Jefferson County.The Attorney General’s Office worked with ALEA, FBI, and DEA to shut down the facilities that had more than 2,400 illegal slot machines combined. "If you drive around where these halls are located, you will notice they're raking in tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars a month," Marshall said. "They're not lifting these communities up. Nobody's property value has gone up as a result of the illegal facilities, the economies in these areas have not improved, no neighborhood has flourished as a result of the presence of these so-called casinos."Marshall said the facilities were negatively impacting the law-abiding citizens, the communities, and residents deserve elected officials willing to keep illegal gambling out. "I can't speak for local officials and their positions on why they have allowed it to continue," Marshall said. "We cannot authorize, in fact, it undermines the legitimacy of law enforcement, to allow that to continue."But some who live in the area near Super Highway Bingo, one of the establishments that was shut down, said they aren't happy about the move."I live in the area," Satpen Rock said. "These places don't cause any crime. People know they're being suckered when they come in here. But they enjoy it. The entertainment, the music, the free food, people being nice to them. The guards will walk you out to your car if you win bingo. After a while, it'll open back up. I've seen it happen for the past 20 years here."Marshall said there is a hearing scheduled for April 21 for a final decision on the temporary restraining orders. State leaders said to expect more raids to come.

BESSEMER, Ala. —

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall held a press conference Wednesday to address raids at 14 illegal bingo facilities in five cities, including unincorporated Jefferson County.

The Attorney General’s Office worked with ALEA, FBI, and DEA to shut down the facilities that had more than 2,400 illegal slot machines combined.

"If you drive around where these halls are located, you will notice they're raking in tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars a month," Marshall said. "They're not lifting these communities up. Nobody's property value has gone up as a result of the illegal facilities, the economies in these areas have not improved, no neighborhood has flourished as a result of the presence of these so-called casinos."

Marshall said the facilities were negatively impacting the law-abiding citizens, the communities, and residents deserve elected officials willing to keep illegal gambling out.

"I can't speak for local officials and their positions on why they have allowed it to continue," Marshall said. "We cannot authorize, in fact, it undermines the legitimacy of law enforcement, to allow that to continue."

But some who live in the area near Super Highway Bingo, one of the establishments that was shut down, said they aren't happy about the move.

"I live in the area," Satpen Rock said. "These places don't cause any crime. People know they're being suckered when they come in here. But they enjoy it. The entertainment, the music, the free food, people being nice to them. The guards will walk you out to your car if you win bingo. After a while, it'll open back up. I've seen it happen for the past 20 years here."

Marshall said there is a hearing scheduled for April 21 for a final decision on the temporary restraining orders. State leaders said to expect more raids to come.

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