2 people arrested for running an illegal casino in Charlotte County

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (WWSB) – Two people are under arrest after continuing to operate an illegal casino in Charlotte County.

On Monday, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit conducted an operation at the Showtime Casino located at 3012 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte. CCSO received numerous tips and complaints regarding this location in relation to illegal gambling on slot machines.

According to the report, the Sheriff’s Office went to Arcade Headquarters located at 1152 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte and observed illegal gambling inside of the business. The clerk working inside was issued a Notice To Appear for an employee of a gambling house. Within minutes of this interaction, the other casinos in town began telling customers to leave and hurriedly closed their doors.

Detectives went to Showtime Casino at 3012 Tamiami Trail and observed the two employees taking turns walking to the roadway and looking up and down the road as lookouts. The employees were also locking the door behind every customer as they came in and out of the casino. As the operation took place, detectives observed illegal gambling happening inside of the casino on slot machines.

Detectives proceeded to provide a warning to every patron inside that what they were doing was illegal and that they needed to leave immediately. The two individuals running the casino, Mevin Rodriguez and Amey M. Naik, were both placed under arrest as Agents or Employees of a Gambling House.

The Sheriff’s Office has issued multiple warnings to these business owners throughout the county advising them that what they are doing is illegal and is currently a misdemeanor offense in the State of Florida.

On July 1, 2024, that Florida State Statue (FSS 849.01) for Keeping a Gambling House and working inside of them will change from being a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony.

In addition to the warnings from CCSO, the Florida Gaming Commission has issued similar warnings to each of these businesses as they have been receiving numerous complaints about these casinos opening up and calling themselves “arcades.”

CCSO has found that these businesses will close down for a short period when they learn that deputies are out issuing warnings, educating the owners and patrons or making an arrest, and then re-open in the next few days.

Law enforcement is reminding the public that if you are in an establishment playing on these illegal machines, you can be charged with a misdemeanor as well. Please think twice before deciding to enter one of these businesses.

We spoke with two women who frequent the casino. They say they gamble there four times a week. They asked to stay anonymous.

The women ask why businesses like this remain open for so long, and how that shouldn’t be the customers fault.

“We come to a business that’s open, and if they have issues, and say it’s illegal, then don’t let them open,” said one woman. “Because obviously there’s a problem because they open, they close, they open, they close, just don’t give them a license then,” she added.

The women knew the employees and say they were nice and courteous.

The two men bonded out of jail and have an arraignment hearing later this month.

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