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FREEPORT — Police raided five independently owned convenience stores Friday afternoon, the culmination of an investigation sparked when police said one owner attempted to bribe an officer “to keep the heat off” suspected illegal gambling businesses operating around town.
Executing search and arrest warrants, police raided the Shamrock Mini Mart and Stop and Shop on Second Street, the Exxon Handy Stop on Avenue A, the Diamond Food Mart on Velasco and Sam’s Mart on Brazosport Boulevard, all suspected to be venues for illegal gambling.
“Freeport officers aren’t for sale,” Police Chief Jeff Pynes said.
Police seized roughly $81,000 in cash along with 48 eight-liner electronic gaming machines, Pynes said.
Additionally, nine people had been arrested by Friday evening, Pynes said, while three people remained at large. The investigation was ongoing Friday night, Pynes said.
Pynes said the machines printed out tickets with winning cash amounts, which players redeemed for cash at the front of the store.
Freeport police have dealt with the machines before, he said.
“They are allowed within the city limits,” Pynes said, “but the manner in which you can use them is restricted. It’s the cash prizes that make them illegal.
In all, 53 arrest warrants were issued for the 12 people alleged to be involved. All of those charged were owners or employees of the stores. Most charges were Class A misdemeanors associated with gambling, but also included were four felony counts of bribery.
Sheraz Bhojwahi, owner of Shamrock Mini Mart, and Ashraf Ali, owner of Diamond Food Mart, were arrested on charges of bribery of a public official.
Bhojwahi is accused of paying a police officer a total of $1,500 on at least three separate occasions since the spring, said District Attorney Jeri Yenne.
Ali is accused of offering an officer a percentage of game room profits in exchange for that officer looking the other way.
“I am stunned at the level of boldness of these people to call the police and offer a bribe,” Yenne said. “These people need to see a jury.”
The raids were the culmination of an investigation started more than six months ago involving Freeport police, the FBI and Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Yenne said she was impressed with the department’s investigative work, which included careful documentation of each incident to build a strong case.
“They did a good job at acting,” she said. “Being offered a bribe is one of the biggest insults someone can give a public official.”
Pynes said even before the investigation began, police routinely had received tips that illegal gambling was a continuing presence at the convenience stores, and the information was taken seriously.
When one of the store owners asked an officer to come by the store so the two could talk, police already had the other bribery investigation working, said Lt. Gus Flores. So when the officer went by the store, police knew to take some precautions “just in case his intentions were of a criminal nature.”
Michael Jones, owner of Port Café next door to the Stop and Shop, watched one raid from his restaurant patio. He said many people suspected illegal gambling was taking place at the store.
“They would pay people off in front of you,” he said. “That’s why people go in there, to make money or to lose it.”
Managing Editor Yvonne Mintz contributed to this story. |
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