‘I’m big mad’: Bryan police seize 34 machines, $64K in gambling investigation

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – An active investigation is playing out after several community members alerted police of illegal gambling operations in Bryan. The investigation led to the seizure of thousands of dollars as well as more than 30 machines from several locations.

“They came and raided the store and took all the machines out, and I ain’t got any of my money back before they did it. I’m big mad,” Bryan resident Lelia Carter complained.

Police launched an investigation after receiving multiple reports of illegal gambling machines inside local convenience stores, using undercover officers to confirm the reports.

BPD then used an evidentiary search warrant to seize 26 “8-liner” machines and eight “pay-out” machines.

$64,446 was removed from those eight machines. Police assured in a news release, “A property hearing will be held at a later date in reference to the monies seized.”

“When you’re playing these machines correctly, they’re taxed,” explained Officer Seth Waller with Bryan PD.

The offense “Keeping a Gambling Place” is what got these machines seized. In the State of Texas, it is illegal for a person to use their “real estate, building, room, tent, vehicle, boat, or other property whatsoever” to operate a game machine for gambling purposes.

“It’s legal to have them in there. It’s just how the credits are paid out when somebody wins on the machine is when it becomes illegal,” detailed Ofc. Waller.

The machines have been removed from Town Center Food Mart off Briarcrest Drive, Rustlers Den off East 29th Street, Four Corners Market off Wilkes Street, along with five other stores.

Gloria Dick works down the street from one of the stores and told KBTX she wasn’t surprised illegal gambling is happening in our community.

“It’s society. Whatever you want is what you want, whether it’s right or wrong. That’s just the way people are,” Dick commented.

“Right now, I can’t [definitively] say that it’s going to be solely on the store owner. I think that’s going to come as the investigation keeps going, and they try to figure out who all is involved with knowing this was going on inside the stores,” added Ofc. Waller.

Bryan police say this operation was run solely off of resident complaints, and no arrests have been made at this time, but the investigation remains open.

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