Press Releases - OcalaPD.com

Search Warrants Served on Cyber Cafés
On June 25, 2009 the Multi-Agency Drug Enforcement Team served search warrants on two cyber cafes.
On today’s date, June 25, 2009, members of the Multi-Agency Drug Enforcement Team (MADET) served search warrants on two businesses, both known as “Cyber Zone Café”, due to multiple violations of State Gambling Laws. Members of MADET are employees of both the Ocala Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office who work as a team, both in the city limits of Ocala and in the County areas. This unit had conducted an undercover investigation into the Cyber Zone Café due to numerous complaints they’d received from concerned citizens. After this, they presented their findings to the State Attorney’s Office and it was determined that this business was operating an illegal gambling operation under Florida State Statutes 849.01, 849.02, 849.15 and 849.16. Today, two search warrants were served simultaneously on the two locations of the Cyber Zone Café. The locations were as follows: 1. 6837 SE Maricamp Rd. Ocala, FL 2. 11223 N. Williams St. Dunnellon, FL As a result of these efforts, four (4) people were arrested. At each location 38 computers and 1 ATM machine were seized for a total of 76 computers and 2 ATM machines. The information on those arrested is as follows: 1. W/M Jeffrey M. Reed, DOB 09/30/57 (Owner) 2 Counts of - Keeping gambling houses – 3rd Degree Felony 2 Counts of - Possession of Coin operated devices for the purpose of gambling – 2nd Degree Misdemeanor 2. W/F Kerri E. Barker, DOB 02/03/88 (Employee - Ocala) 1 Count of - Agents or employees of keeper of gambling house -3rd Degree Felony 3. W/F Vanessa Ellis, DOB 04/01/85 (Employee – Dunnellon) 1 Count of - Agents or employees of keeper of gambling house -3rd Degree Felony 4. W/F Lisa Smith, DOB 11/29/65 (Employee – Dunnellon) 1 Count of - Agents or employees of keeper of gambling house -3rd Degree Felony The Multi-Agency Drug Enforcement Team will continue to work with the State Attorney’s Office to identify other businesses in our jurisdiction that are violating these Gambling Laws and take appropriate action. Anyone needing video footage from on-scene of the search warrant at the Dunnellon location may go to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office website at www.marionso.com. For video footage of the search warrant from the Ocala address you may go to the video section of the Ocala Police Department’s website at www.ocalapd.com. Sgt. Angy Scroble, PIO Jenifer Fisher, PIO Ocala Police Department Marion County Sheriff’s Office 352-369-7131 352-368-3598 352-427-3139 352-843-3823 ascroble@ocalapd.org jlfisher@marionso.com
Posted on Jun 25, 2009 16:51pm by ascroble (Return to Articles)

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