Illegal gambling found at 17 Chatham businesses, 9 owners charged
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A Chatham County Sheriff’s Office investigation found 17 businesses violated state laws related to illegal gambling.
The investigation into 51 businesses spanned several months and involved undercover operations.
The sheriff's office found 17 businesses in violation of state law, including possession of illegal gaming equipment, promotion of illegal gambling and cash payouts for winnings.
The other 34 businesses were found to be fully compliant.
In August, the sheriff's office searched six different illegal gambling sites with a felonious amount of gambling machines (five or more). Deputies seized the machines and money generated by the illegal business.
Matthew Downey witnessed the biggest bust in the operation as deputies found 50 gambling machines at Infinity Gaming in Siler City.
“They were pulling just a bunch of machines out of the front door,” said Downey, who was at a nearby business. “I would have had no idea that it was probably one of the biggest in Chatham County.”
Deputies charged nine people with a total of 36 felony charges and 39 misdemeanor charges for their involvement in illegal gambling.
North Carolina law prohibits cash payouts for winnings from video gaming machines, regardless of whether they involve games or chance or skill. Many of the illegal gaming machines in question were found to be video slot games and fish table games that paid cash for credits won.
Business owners in the shopping complex say they never saw any major incidents connected to the alleged gambling parlor.
But they say some gamblers would loiter and approach their customers and employees late at night - and the removal of the site in August has been an improvement for the area.
“I would say it’s better because we haven’t had those people kind of riding around on bikes asking for money,” Downey said.
The businesses and people charged include:
- A&M Amusement LLC, 11624 US 15-501, Chapel Hill (35 gaming machines): Three owners charged
- Infinity Gaming Software LLC, 125 Siler Crossing, Siler City (50 gambling machines): One owner charged
- Sunhouse Gas Station, 507 W. 3rd St., Siler City (6 gambling machines): One owner charged
- Park-N-Shop Gas Station, 201 E. 11th St., Siler City (8 gambling machines): One owner charged
- Country Store, 1004 S. Chatham Ave., Siler City (5 gambling machines): Two owners charged
- BJS Gas/Bennett Vape and Tobacco, 676 NC 22, Bennett (12 gambling machines): One owner charged
The following locations with fewer than five illegal gambling machines were issued compliance letters and instructed to remove the machines from their businesses:
- Silk Hope Services, 21 Silk Hope-Lindley Mill Rd., Silk Hope (1 gambling slot machine)
- TC’s Hot Spot, 1139 W. 3rd St., Siler City (4 gambling slot machines)
- Smokerz Depot, 1516 E. 11th St., Siler City (1 fish table gambling machine)
- Marathon, 320 W. Raleigh St., Siler City (2 gambling machines)
- Pittsboro Food Mart, 133 Hillsboro St., Pittsboro (3 gambling slot machines)
- Bright Mart, 1951 N. Main St., Goldston (3 gambling slot machines)
- Quick N Easy 8, 4191 Old Hwy 421, Bonlee (1 gambling slot machine)
- Jordan Mini Mart, 8036 Moncure Pittsboro Rd., Moncure (2 gambling slot machines)
- Community Store, 3445 Corinth Rd., Moncure (4 gambling slot machines)
- Lakeside Grocery, 1718 Farrington Point Rd., Chapel Hill (2 gambling slot machines)
