McAllen cracks down on gamblers

McALLEN – Two popular bars are involved in a three-month police investigation of illegal slot machine gambling.

Police seized a total of 21 eight-liner slot machines from pool hall Fast Eddies, bar Simon Sez and a McAllen office over the weekend, according to McAllen Police Sgt. Joel Morales.

Police also arrested two women who were identified in the investigation, which is being conducted in conjunction with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

According to a probable cause complaint, an informant told police earlier this year that Fast Eddies pays money to people who win at their slot machines.

In Texas, it is illegal to award cash to people who win at slots.

In July, police wired an informant with surveillance equipment to record his attempt to collect winnings at Fast Eddies.

The informant received an envelope with $263 cash when he visited the bar. Police later identified the person who provided the payout as Stephanie Rodriguez, 26, according the complaint.

Rodriguez was arrested at Fast Eddies Friday and charged with gambling promotion, a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

Calls to her last known residence were unanswered.

Police also arrested Donna Lee Adams, 56, who is accused of running an underground gambling hall.

An undercover investigator repeatedly gambled on the slots at a non-descript office at 1003 Jonquil Ave, where he was paid cash for hiswinnings, according the complaint.

The probable cause complaint says Adams never offered investigators any non-monetary prizes.

Adams was charged with possession of gambling device or equipment, keeping a gambling place and three counts of gambling promotion. Each of those charges is also a class A misdemeanor.

A woman who answered the door of Adams’ last known residence on Violet Avenue said Adams[Marker] has not lived there in months.

Morales declined to elaborate on Simon Sez’s possible involvement in the case. A person who answered the phone at the bar Monday hung up when The Monitor asked about the seizure of the slot machines.

An employee at Fast Eddie’s deferred comment to a regional manager, who was not at the bar Monday night.
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Ryan Holeywell covers McAllen, PSJA, the Mid-Valley and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4446.