SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Local and state officials on Tuesday announced Greene County’s first criminal charges tied to gaming machines, stepping up a crackdown on devices Springfield police say have continued to spread despite hundreds of citations.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway joined Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams, Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson and other officials to announce criminal charges against a Springfield convenience store owner and a civil case against a store as part of what officials described as a broader statewide effort.
“For those of you in Springfield, you know that our citizens were extremely frustrated by the proliferation of these devices throughout our community,” Williams said. “Our City Council enacted a local ordinance two years ago prohibiting those within the city of Springfield. Since that time, we’ve written almost 450 citations, which you think would then cause people to comply with the law. That has absolutely not happened.”…