On Thursday shortly after 12 pm, detectives with the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Narcotics and Vice Investigations Division served a warrant at the El Patron Sweepstakes Gameroom located at the 4600 block of SPID, according to a press release from CCPD. The warrant was served after months of investigation into the business that found evidence of illegal gambling. 90 pieces of gambling equipment and over $31,000 in cash were seized by detectives.
Andria Thompson, age 34, was arrested and charged with gambling promotion, possession of a gambling device, keeping a gambling place, and engaging in organized criminal activity. The charge of organized criminal activity is a felony punishable with up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine.
23 customers inside El Patron were cited for gambling, a class C misdemeanor, during the raid.
KRIS 6 News This is an ongoing investigation by the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Narcotics and Vice Investigations Division. CCPD reminds citizens that game rooms which pay out cash rewards are engaging in illegal gambling and that patrons of these establishments may face criminal charges.