Illegal gambling operations in Seminole County shut down in raids, sheriff says

Deputies raided eight businesses on Tuesday morning across Seminole County, accused of running illegal gambling operations.

SANFORD, Fla. - It’s game over for multiple illegal gambling operations in Seminole County, according to the Seminole County sheriff. Deputies raided eight locations Tuesday morning.

All the locations were allegedly conducting the gambling operations in ordinary strip malls. Some of them had fake fronts disguised as pawn shops or a billiard's hall while others like the one on Park Drive, had no labels at all, deputies said.

"The windows were blocked, and I know they had cameras out there but the windows, you can never see inside," said Mark Olson.

Olson owns Totally Vacuums in the Park Drive Business Center just feet from one of the raided locations. He had no idea anything illegal was going on there.

"They were never open when we were open," said Olson. "Always at nighttime. Not during the day."

Other shop owners just a mile away in a plaza off South Orlando Drive said the same thing. They watched as deputies loaded the illegal slot machines into a U-Haul.

"More than 300 or so of these machines just like this. A lot of cash. There’s actually one location where cash was just stuck sitting inside the ceiling," said Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma.

The eight-month-long undercover investigation led to the shutdown of the eight gambling parlors. Deputies targeted 18 and have charged them with racketeering, possessing gambling machines, operating illegal lotteries among other things. Over half of the suspects have had gambling machines seized in the past.

Locations include:

430 S.R. 436 Suite 104, Casselberry
2921 S. Orlando Drive Suite 172, Sanford
481 North S.R. 434 Suite 105, Altamonte Springs
494 South Hunt Club Boulevard, Apopka
420 East S.R. 434 Suite F, Longwood
851 West S.R. 436, Altamonte Springs
801 West S.R. 436 Suite 1005, Altamonte Springs
2565 Park Drive, Sanford

"We are not going to pass this problem onto another jurisdiction," said Lemma.

Crimeline tips are what opened up the investigation. Some tipsters helped detectives get into the secret gambling rooms. Investigators believe this could be just the start.

"They mentioned to us that, oh yeah we’re working on this one. We’re also working on the big one in another jurisdiction, so I would imagine that these applications are pretty widespread," said Lemma.

According to the sheriff, most of the victims in this case were vulnerable and appeared to be on fixed incomes. He believes many of them are gambling addicts. Lemma says the department will help in getting them the proper services for their addiction.

Arrest warrants were obtained for 18 suspects. The following 14 have been arrested and charged with felony racketeering, keeping house of gambling, possess/deliver gambling machines, and running an illegal lottery.

Saba Alam, DOB 10/17/1989
Neal Anand, DOB 04/11/1995
Adelaida Asia, DOB 04/10/1970
Brandon Wayne Peter Caldwell I, DOB 05/27/1998
Aneka Metrell Mitchell, DOB 05/13/1969
Miguel Angel Vega Ruiz, DOB 05/05/1954
Vernon Santiago-Viera, DOB 10/22/1985
Melisa Elizabeth Spady, DOB 07/16/1959
Jordan Tanner, DOB 05/17/1995
Bansil Patel, DOB 06/26/1995
Kamleshkumar Rasikbhai Patel, DOB 08/22/1976 (or 02/22/1976)
Maulik Patel, DOB 09/02/1987
Priyank J. Patel, DOB 04/12/1987
ernika Lasaber Phillips, DOB 05/09/1987

The following two have been arrested and charged with felony racketeering, keeping house of gambling, and possess/deliver gambling machines.

Mitchell Ryan Engstrom, DOB 03/11/1999
Justin Malachi Melick, DOB 04/13/1984

The following two suspects are still outstanding and face charges of felony racketeering, keeping house of gambling, possess/deliver gambling machines, and running an illegal lottery.