Total of 76 slot machines seized
On Wednesday, Aug. 26, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office’s Intelligence Unit, TAC Unit, Special Investigations Section and Patrol Division, in cooperation with the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC), executed search warrants at two illegal gambling establishments in Sarasota, the Sheriff’s Office announced this week.
The first search warrant was executed at an unnamed business located at 3503 N. Lockwood Ridge Road, a news release says. During the search, deputies seized 28 illegal slot machines, the release adds.
The second search warrant was executed at “Surf’s Up,” which stands at 6394 N. Lockwood Ridge Road, the release notes. Deputies seized 48 illegal slot machines from the premises, the release says.
In response to a Sarasota News Leader inquiry, Doug Johnson, manager of the Sheriff’s Office’s Community Affairs Division, wrote in a Sept. 2 email that “Surf’s Up” is a storefront in the Parkway Collection Shopping Center, which is located in the southeast corner of the Lockwood Ridge and University Parkway intersection.
That plaza is owned by Lancaster Partners VII LTD, the Sarasota County Property Appraiser’s Office records show. The company purchased the parcel for $500,000 in January 1989, the office’s records notes. The registered agent of Lancaster Partners VII LTD is Piero Rivolta of Sarasota, the Florida Division of Corporations says.
The owner of the property located at 3503 N. Lockwood Ridge Road is Wen Mark Professional Building LLC, the Property Appraiser’s Office records show. The registered agent for that limited liability company is Mark A. Chmielewski of Sarasota, the Florida Division of Corporations notes. The company bought the parcel for $93,000 on Dec. 15, 2005, the Sarasota County Property Appraiser’s Office records show.
No employees were present at either establishment when the search warrants were executed, the Sheriff’s Office news release notes.
Misdemeanor charges subsequently were filed against employees identified as working at both establishments, the release adds, and capias requests for maintaining a gambling house were forwarded to the 12th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office for review.
The Law Dictionary explains, “In the common law system of the United States, a capias warrant is essentially an order to arrest and detain an individual for the purpose of guaranteeing a court appearance. The Latin term capias translates into English as ‘for the taking of,’ but it is not commonly associated with the seizure of property or the search of premises. A capias warrant should be considered a writ of arrest.”
Prior to the incidents this week, the most recent Sheriff’s Office investigation into an illegal gambling operation occurred in April, the agency reported then. Two people were charged in connection with the operation of 66 slot machines at a South Beneva Road site called Spin 24/7.
Over the past couple of years, especially, Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman has reported during budget presentations to the County Commission that he and agency members have been focused on eradicating illegal gambling establishments, as the Sheriff’s Office has received numerous complaints about them.