Commercial Gambling Alleged
Two individuals were charged last week with commercial gambling after a raid at two convenience stores in Monticello, the culmination of a joint investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO).
Two teams simultaneously entered the Petro on Frobel Street and the Monticello Food Mart on Greene Street Thursday evening to stop the alleged commercial gambling operation.
Both stores have gaming machines that are similar to slot machines. The machines are licensed by the Ga. Lottery Corp., and can legally pay out only in store merchandise including lottery tickets for $5 or less. A winner cannot legally redeem his winnings for cash, tobacco products, alcohol, or firearms, according to state law.
According to the investigation, both stores were making cash payouts.
The machines themselves are legal, if they are licensed, and the ones involved in Thursday’s raid were indeed licenses. Therefore, the machines are still in the establishments.
Hitesh Patel, 24, of Monticello was arrested at the Frobel Street store, while Komlan Siranuce Koudjodji, 39, of Atlanta, was arrested at the Greene Street store.
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Both men were charged with commercial gambling, a felony. Both men are out this week on $5,000 bond.
Both stores were closed during the raid, and the remainder of Thursday night.
Also, the JCSO reported the following three incidents of criminal activity. Anyone with information concerning these or any other criminal activity is encouraged to call the JCSO at its anonymous tips line (706-468-JCSO):
•On November 15 a resident on Aikenton Road in Shady Dale reported the theft of a wedding ring set, a necklace, a passport and a partially filled bottle of the prescription drug Lortab.
•On November 12 an Atlas air compressor valued at approximately $5,000 in value, was reported stolen from a commercial cold storage on Edwards Road in Penor Hills.
•On November 9 the owner of a property on Loyd Cemetery Road in Mansfield reported the theft of aluminum fan louvers from a former chicken house.
In addition, during the period of November 12-19 the JCSO reported the following arrests:
•Lee Annis Jones, Jr., 55, Shady Dale—simple battery.
•Timothy Dwain Conner, 30, Covington—probation violation.
•Levette Monica Capri Ates, 35, Monticello—failure to maintain lane, open container, head light violation, driving permit violation and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
•Stanley Keith Davis, 31, Atlanta—child support.
•Christopher Montez Thomas, 19, Monticello—disorderly conduct.
•Nicholas Matthew Hall, 26, Monticello—probation violation.
•Ricky Sharod Cooper, 25, Monroe—Jasper County Superior Court failure to appear.
•David Allan Hicks, Jasper County Superior Court failure to appear.
•Roberto Torres Williams, 41, Shady Dale—child support.
During this same period deputies with the JCSO responded to 132 calls for service including 28 stopping suspicious person/vehicle, 15 alarm, 13 accident, eight each mechanical breakdown and pick up prisoner/subject, six escort or convoy, welfare check, four subject needs officer, three each theft by taking, juvenile complaint, discharge firearms and attempt to serve warrant, two each assist motorist, deliver emergency message, four wheeler, road hazard, argument, persons refuse to leave, identity fraud/theft and 911 hang up, one each domestic, courtesy ride, fire, mental person, be on the look out, child abuse/molestation, possible suicide, private property, water ordinance/breaks, music/noise complaint, threatening/harassing calls, vandalism of property, checking location, sex offender check, abandoned vehicle and fraud/theft by deceiving.
Also during this period the Monticello Police Department (MPD) reported the following arrests:
•Ronnie Dale Coleman, 21, Decatur—open container.
•Jim Quaves Hunter, 20, Eatonton—possession of marijuana less than one ounce.
During this same period officers with the MPD responded to 65 calls for service including 15 stopping suspicious person/vehicle, six accident, five mechanical breakdown, four each alarm and four escort or convoy, three each burglary, juvenile complaint, trouble unknown and music/noise complaint, two each fire alarm, subject needs officer, vandalism of property, argument and license check/road block, one each fight, fire/brush, theft by taking, entering auto, property found, persons refuse to leave, sick and attempt to serve warrant.
In addition, during this period the Georgia State Patrol reported the following arrests:
•Jeffery Dalton Roberts, 20, Monticello—driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and failure to maintain lane.
•Rhonda Daniell Jackson, 43, Athens—driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
