Racketeering charges filed in 2 midstate gambling cases, illegal cash payouts alleged

Nine people were indicted Tuesday in Peach County in six separate cases stemming from alleged illegal gambling using electronic gaming machines.

Two of the cases included alleged violations of the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO.

Among those charged were Ronald D. Bartlett, 72, and Lee Bartlett, 75, owners of the now-shuttered Captain Jack’s Crab Shack, 107 Chapman St. in Byron.

The Bartletts filed a federal lawsuit in August against Macon Judicial Circuit district attorney David Cooke, Cooke’s special prosecutor, a Byron police investigator and a Centerville police officer. The Bartletts allege prosecutors and police fabricated evidence and violated their civil rights.

Peach County grand jurors indicted the couple on four counts of violating the Georgia RICO act, one count each of commercial gambling, possession of a gambling device or equipment, keeping a gambling place and false writings and statements, according to an indictment returned in Peach County Superior Court.

The indictment alleges the Bartletts placed gambling devices at Captain Jack’s Crab Shack in January 2013 and operated them “in an illegal manner” until May 2015 when the business was raided.

Additional machines also were located at their other businesses, Friends Bar & Grill, 7504 Industrial Highway in Macon, and Chevy’s of Warner Robins, 1229 Russell Parkway in Warner Robins, according to the indictment.

Although state law requires there to be some act of skill involved in the games played on machines regulated by the Georgia Lottery, prosecutors allege games on the Bartletts’ machines required “no skill whatsoever,” according to the indictment.

Data self-reported by the Bartletts to the state from October 2013 through April 2015 show Captain Jack’s customers fed about $1. 2 million into the machines and about $837,000 was redeemed for prizes. Nearly $400,000 was reported as profit, according to the indictment.

State law bans cash payouts. Winnings can be paid in store credit, merchandise, gas or lottery tickets.

The Bartletts are accused of making cash payouts, according to the indictment.

Friends Bar & Grill customers put more than $1.7 million into the machines between October 2013 and June 2015 , redeemed about $1.3 million and about $450,000 was reported as profit, according to the indictment.

Chevy’s customers put more than $1,4 million into the machines between October 2013 and June 2015, redeemed a little more than $1 million and nearly $430,000 was reported as profit, according to the delinquent.

The Bartletts are accused of falsely reporting on their gaming license applications that they weren’t delinquent in paying Georgia taxes. They also allegedly made false reports and underreported their income in 2013 and 2014 on tax returns.

Grub N Gas

Alkaben P. Patel and Pankaj A. Patel, 46, are charged with four counts of violating the state’s RICO act on allegations they operated gaming machines at their store, Grub N Gas, 201 Mosely Road in Byron, between July 2013 and May 2015 that didn’t require an act of skill to win, according to an indictment. Alkaben Patel’s age wasn’t immediately available Wednesday.

Self-reported figures sent to the state show customers put about $708,000 into the machines between July 2013 and March 2015 and about $604,000 was redeemed for prizes. About $104,000 was reported as profit, according to the indictment.

The Patels each are charged with commercial gambling stemming from allegations they made illegal cash payouts. The indictment also charges them with possession of a gambling device or equipment, keeping a gambling place and making false statements and writings.

They are accused of falsely reporting on a gaming license application that they weren’t delinquent in their state tax payments.

Pop’s Place

In a separate indictment, 48-year-old Michael Todd Durham is charged with commercial gambling stemming from allegations he operated gaming machines at Pop’s Place, 211 Main St. in Byron, between January 2013 and May 2015, and that he made illegal cash payouts.

Durham additionally is charged with possession of a gambling device or equipment, keeping a gambling place and making false writings and statements, according to the indictment.

Authorities allege Durham falsely reported in his gaming application that wasn’t delinquent in paying Georgia taxes when he owed both income and sales taxes to the state, according to the indictment.

American Eagle Food Mart

Gloria Holmes, 68, was charged in another indictment with commercial gambling stemming from allegations she made cash payouts for gambling winnings at her business, American Eagle Food Mart, 2639A Highway 247 Connector in Byron, between November 2014 and May 2015, according to an indictment.

She additionally is charged with possession of a gambling device or equipment and keeping a gambling place, according to the indictment.

Raceway and Marathon

Andy Young Kim, 51, also was accused of making cash payouts of gambling winnings at his businesses between January 2013 and May 2015. The businesses are the Raceway at 237 Ga. 49 and the Marathon gas station, also known as Quick Stop, at 310 Ga. 49 North, both in Byron.

He is charged with commercial gambling, possession of a gambling device or equipment, keeping a gambling place and two counts of making false statements and writings. Kim is accused of lying on his gaming applications for both stores, saying he wasn’t delinquent in paying taxes, according to an indictment.

Quick Stop

Arjun Sharma Lamichhane, 34, and Ram P. Sharma, 45, are charged with commercial gambling, possession of a gambling device or equipment and keeping a gambling place at their store, Quick Stop, 1100 Boy Scout Road in Byron. They are accused of making illegal cash payouts of gambling winnings, according to an indictment.

This story was originally published October 12, 2016 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Racketeering charges filed in 2 midstate gambling cases, illegal cash payouts alleged."