Officers seize machines from five Wharton sites
By BARRY HALVORSON bhalvorson@journal-spectator.com

Teams of law enforcement officers swept through Wharton County on Wednesday seizing eight-liner machines that were, according to seizure warrants, reportedly being used in violation of Texas law.

In discussing the warrants used to make the seizures, Wharton Police Detective Grady Smith alleged the business operators where the machines were located were violating state law by paying off in cash.

Other reports indicated additional payoffs were made with scratch-off lottery tickets or store merchandise, also in violation of the state criminal code. The law limits machine payoffs to non-cash prizes or novelty items of $5 or less from a single play of a machine.

In Wharton, the team lead by Smith, included Wharton Police ID officer Randy Whitlock, additional police officers, Matagorda Sheriff's detectives, representatives of the TABC and the Wharton County Precinct 2 Constable Office.

They hit five locations in the city limits with the first seizure being at Keton Novelty Company where 25 machines were seized.

That was followed by BJ's Mini-Mart, 14 machines; Gifts and Games, 30 machines; Joe's Place, 12 to 14 machines; and Caddie's Bar, eight machines.

While the initial dollar count was roughly $10,000, Smith said his team was missing keys and had not unlocked all the machines and had also seized two safes still unopened as of Thursday afternoon.

"And I believe a message has been sent that this will not be tolerated," he said. "While there haven't been any arrests yet, I think (the seizures) will take care of the situation for now."

The Wharton County Sheriff's team, headed up by that department's task force representative Sgt. Tommy Johnson, made stops at Funtime Game Room in East Bernard, where 46 machines were seized; and the El Campo Truck Stop on U.S. 59, where eight games were seized.